2.1 Alzheimer’s disease
AD is a progressive neurological disease that results in the irreversible loss of neurons particularly in the neocortex. The brain of AD-affected patients is characterized by the accumulation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) composed of the microtubule-associated protein tauthat stabilizes microtubules when phosphorylated
[11] and of extracellular senile plaques primarily composed of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) [12].
Compelling evidence supports the causative role of Aβ1–42, which derives from the proteolysis of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β- and γ- secretase,in AD. Similarly, mutations in the tau gene lead to familiar tauopathies