Amyloid, hyperactivity, and metabolism: theoretical comment on Vloeberghs et al. (2008)

Recent data suggest that amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice consume excess calories relative to nontransgenic mice, yet they weigh less. Potential explanations include increased locomotor activity or increased basal metabolism. Mechanisms that might underlie the latter explanation include transmembrane pores produced by assemblies of A beta modifying proton or ion gradients across membranes. Alzheimer's disease also results in weight loss. If amyloid were found to induce a hypermetabolic state, this would suggest an alternative mechanism for the pathology found in the disease and provide opportunities for therapeutic strategies not yet considered.