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Updated: May 5, 2026
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Detection of Neuritic Plaques in Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model
Published on: July 26, 2011
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Unmasking the hidden catalyst: How infections trigger Alzheimer's disease
Tamas Fulop1,2, Alan A Cohen3,4, Eric H Frost5
1Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Journal of Alzheimer'S Disease : JAD
|January 27, 2026
Summary
The amyloid hypothesis for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has yielded limited treatment success. Emerging evidence suggests chronic infections trigger neuroinflammation and amyloid-beta (Aβ) buildup, offering a new therapeutic avenue for AD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pathology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- The amyloid hypothesis has long dominated Alzheimer's disease (AD) research and treatment development.
- Current AD therapies targeting amyloid-beta (Aβ) have shown limited clinical efficacy.
- AD is a complex, multifactorial disease with a long preclinical development period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence supporting the infection hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease.
- To explore how chronic infections contribute to neuroinflammation and Aβ accumulation in AD.
- To discuss barriers to the infection hypothesis and its potential integration into AD drug development and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating the link between infections and AD pathology.
- Analysis of mechanisms by which chronic infections may drive neuroinflammation and Aβ deposition.
- Discussion of historical and current perspectives on AD etiology.
Main Results:
- Chronic infections can initiate neuroinflammation, a key factor in AD pathogenesis.
- Infections provide a plausible mechanism for the observed Aβ and tau pathology in AD.
- The amyloid-centric approach has faced significant challenges, necessitating alternative hypotheses.
Conclusions:
- The infection hypothesis offers a promising alternative framework for understanding and treating AD.
- Overcoming resistance to the infection hypothesis is crucial for advancing AD research.
- Integrating the infection hypothesis could revolutionize AD diagnosis and therapeutic strategies, offering new hope.
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