阿尔采末病胆碱能学说研究进展

Advance in research on cholinergic theory of Alzheimers disease

中枢胆碱能系统参与调节哺乳动物的神经元兴奋性、皮质可塑性以及学习记忆过程 ,与脑认知功能密切相关。阿尔采末病 (Alzheimersdisease ,AD)是老年性痴呆的最常见原因 ,主要表现为进行性的认知功能下降。基底前脑胆碱能损伤导致的中枢胆碱能系统功能低下是AD患者认知功能障碍的基础。在AD病程中存在一个恶性循环 ,即脑内的胆碱能神经传递早期受损 ,导致神经退行性病变的易损区内Aβ的大量产生以及tau蛋白过度磷酸化 ,而Aβ又进一步削弱胆碱能神经传递的效应 。

It is generally agreed that the central cholinergic system plays an important role in learning and memory processes. Alzheimers disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, is a devastating illness characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration. The learning and cognitive deficits observed in AD patients are hypothesized to be partly caused by central cholinergic system dysfunction. There exists a malicious cycle in the pathologic course of AD, that is, the impairment of central cholinergic transmission could increase the amount of Aβ in the brain, and the increase of Aβ could also impair the efficacy of the cholinergic transmission.