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Defining Alzheimer as a common age-related neurodegenerative process not inevitably leading to dementia
Ferrer I.. Progress in neurobiology, 2012-03-21
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Since the description by Alois Alzheimer, more than 50 years have passed during which senile dementia and pre-senile dementia have been considered Alzheimer disease (AD) on the basis of their common neuropathological and clinical manifestations. AD now covers pre-senile dementia, senile dementia, mild cognitive impairment and pre-clinical AD, all of them within the context of AD-related pathology. However, there is still a gray area between normal aging with AD-related pathology and AD. Here it is proposed that Alzheimer (or alzheimer) is an age-related neurodegenerative process distinguished from normal aging by the presence of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Alzheimer affects about 80% of individuals aged 65 years but dementia only occurs in a small percentage of individuals at this age; prevalence of dementia in Alzheimer increases to 25% in individuals aged 80 years. The concepts derived from the β-amyloid hypothesis support β-amyloid as a conductor in the pathogenesis of familial AD and as a prodding factor in sporadic AD. Moreover, seeding of β-amyloid and truncated tau explains incorporation, enhancement and perpetuation of AD-related changes. Therefore, the earliest Alzheimer changes confined to selected regions are the first grounds and the main risk factor for developing dementia. The term Alzheimer embraces this assumption and likens its meaning to other degenerative biological processes, such as atherosclerosis, that may eventually progress to disease. In this context, the first stages of Alzheimer should be considered as primary targets of therapeutic intervention in order to prevent progression to diseased states.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Ferrer, I. (2012). Defining Alzheimer as a common age-related neurodegenerative process not inevitably leading to dementia. Progress in neurobiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.03.005
Vancouver
Ferrer I. Defining Alzheimer as a common age-related neurodegenerative process not inevitably leading to dementia. Progress in neurobiology. 2012. doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.03.005. PMID: 22459297.
BibTeX
@article{ferrer2012-22459297,
author = {Ferrer, I.},
title = {{Defining Alzheimer as a common age-related neurodegenerative process not inevitably leading to dementia}},
journal = {Progress in neurobiology},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.03.005},
pmid = {22459297},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.03.005}
}
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.
Key findings
- The concepts derived from the β-amyloid hypothesis support β-amyloid as a conductor in the pathogenesis of familial AD and as a prodding factor in sporadic AD.
- Moreover, seeding of β-amyloid and truncated tau explains incorporation, enhancement and perpetuation of AD-related changes.
- Therefore, the earliest Alzheimer changes confined to selected regions are the first grounds and the main risk factor for developing dementia.
- The term Alzheimer embraces this assumption and likens its meaning to other degenerative biological processes, such as atherosclerosis, that may eventually progress to disease.
- In this context, the first stages of Alzheimer should be considered as primary targets of therapeutic intervention in order to prevent progression to diseased states.
Why it matters
This paper proposes that Alzheimer's is an age-related neurodegenerative process that affects most people by age 65 but leads to dementia in only a small percentage at that age. It is a conceptual proposal about disease definitions and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
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 (Progress in neurobiology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Progress in Neurobiology: journal h-index 325 (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 | 1 / 5 | 2012 — within 20 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 174 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.9 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 19 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Isidró Ferrer: h-index 120 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Universitat de Barcelona: institution h-index 1,049 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22459297) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
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