Alzheimer’s Breakthrough: Scientists Make Revolutionary Leap in Brain Network Analysis

Dementia is a major health issue worldwide in the 21st century, impacting over 50 million people globally. This figure is expected to soar to 152 million by 2050, as the global population ages. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading type of dementia, responsible for 60–80% of all dementia cases.

Research on AD identifies two primary pathological hallmarks: the progressive accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and the presence of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs).

The accumulation of these pathological proteins in specific brain regions, followed by their dissemination throughout the broader brain network, leads to disruptions in both individual brain regions and their interconnections. Consequently, brain networks play a pivotal role in the development and progression of AD.