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Autophagy in alzheimer disease pathogenesis and its therapeutic values
Gabrielle Angst, Nuo Jia, Luis Tron Esqueda, Yanbo Fan, Qian Cai, Chenran Wang. Autophagy Reports, 2025-05-08
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia with hallmarks of β-amyloid deposits, neurofilament tangles, synaptic loss and neuronal death in the patient's brain. AD is a heavy burden in an ageing society as there are no effective therapies in treating the causes or slowing down its progression. Autophagy is a conserved process through formation of double membrane structure, namely autophagosome which is delivered to lysosome to digest cellular disposals. Autophagy maintains homoeostasis in the brain and is generally considered to protect brain functions against ageing. The first evidence of autophagy involvement in AD is that there is decreased expression of autophagy essential genes in post-mortem AD brains. Autophagy is also believed to be protective in neurodegeneration. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms for dysfunction of autophagy in AD are not fully understood. Recent studies of autophagy regulation in AD cover the findings not only in neurons, but also from fast growing evidence for their importance in glia and brain vascular system. Thus, this review composes pertinent information regarding the involvement of autophagy in neurons, glias (including microglia, astrocyte, and oligodendrocyte), and brain vascular cells in AD, and their unique cellular mechanisms of this connection in AD pathology. We will provide effectual insights both in investigating autophagy in AD pathological mechanisms and in establishing a strategic approach for developing autophagy-based AD therapies.
Key findings
- Autophagy is also believed to be protective in neurodegeneration.
- However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms for dysfunction of autophagy in AD are not fully understood.
- Recent studies of autophagy regulation in AD cover the findings not only in neurons, but also from fast growing evidence for their importance in glia and brain vascular system.
- Thus, this review composes pertinent information regarding the involvement of autophagy in neurons, glias (including microglia, astrocyte, and oligodendrocyte), and brain vascular cells in AD, and their unique cellular mechanisms of this connection in AD pathology.
- We will provide effectual insights both in investigating autophagy in AD pathological mechanisms and in establishing a strategic approach for developing autophagy-based AD therapies.
Why it matters
This review describes autophagy as a protective process in the brain and notes that autophagy-related genes are decreased in post-mortem Alzheimer's brains, with roles in neurons, glia, and blood vessels. It provides insights for future research but does not report an effective treatment.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Autophagy Reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Autophagy Reports: journal h-index 14 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 16 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 16 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Chenran Wang: h-index 9 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: institution h-index 1,147 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40395993) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1080/27694127.2025.2471677
- PubMed: 40395993
- Original source →
- Free full text: Autophagy Reports →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Angst, G., Jia, N., Esqueda, L. T., Fan, Y., Cai, Q., & Wang, C. (2025). Autophagy in alzheimer disease pathogenesis and its therapeutic values. Autophagy Reports. https://doi.org/10.1080/27694127.2025.2471677
Vancouver
Angst G, Jia N, Esqueda LT, Fan Y, Cai Q, Wang C. Autophagy in alzheimer disease pathogenesis and its therapeutic values. Autophagy Reports. 2025. doi:10.1080/27694127.2025.2471677. PMID: 40395993.
BibTeX
@article{angst2025-40395993,
author = {Angst, Gabrielle and Jia, Nuo and Esqueda, Luis Tron and Fan, Yanbo and Cai, Qian and Wang, Chenran},
title = {{Autophagy in alzheimer disease pathogenesis and its therapeutic values}},
journal = {Autophagy Reports},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1080/27694127.2025.2471677},
pmid = {40395993},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/27694127.2025.2471677}
}
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