The role of calsyntenin-3 in dystrophic neurite formation in Alzheimer's disease brain.

ABSTRACT

ß-Amyloid (Aß) oligomers may play an important role in the early pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease cognitive impairment caused by synaptic dysfunction. Dystrophic neurites surrounding Aß plaques, another pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease, are plaque-associated neuritic alterations preceding the appearance of synaptic loss. In the present review, we focus on the mechanism of dystrophic neurite formation by Aß oligomers, and discuss the neurotoxic role of Aß-induced calsyntenin-3 in mediating dystrophic neurite formation.