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Hypothesis: Alzheimer's disease is a phylogenetic disease
Rapoport SI.. Medical hypotheses, 1989-07-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
It is hypothesized that Alzheimer's disease is a human phylogenetic disease which has a common multifactorial pathogenesis in sporadic and familial cases and in Down syndrome, related to a genomic character function G(x). Increments in G(x) accompanied the increased gene expression that sustained brain growth and differentiation during hominid evolution, particularly of the regions liable to Alzheimer pathology, and further occur in Down syndrome [suggesting that genes on chromosome 21 are included in G(x)]. If genes which promoted human brain evolution contribute to the value of G(x), a better understanding of the genomic events which promoted this evolution, using molecular biological techniques, should elucidate the genetic basis of Alzheimer's disease, and vice versa.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Rapoport, S. I. (1989). Hypothesis: Alzheimer's disease is a phylogenetic disease. Medical hypotheses. https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-9877(89)90185-0
Vancouver
Rapoport SI. Hypothesis: Alzheimer's disease is a phylogenetic disease. Medical hypotheses. 1989. doi:10.1016/0306-9877(89)90185-0. PMID: 2528670.
BibTeX
@article{rapoport1989-2528670,
author = {Rapoport, S. I.},
title = {{Hypothesis: Alzheimer's disease is a phylogenetic disease}},
journal = {Medical hypotheses},
year = {1989},
doi = {10.1016/0306-9877(89)90185-0},
pmid = {2528670},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-9877(89)90185-0}
}
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Key findings
- Increments in G(x) accompanied the increased gene expression that sustained brain growth and differentiation during hominid evolution, particularly of the regions liable to Alzheimer pathology, and further occur in Down syndrome [suggesting that genes on chromosome 21 are included in G(x)].
Why it matters
This paper hypothesizes that Alzheimer disease is a human phylogenetic disease with a shared cause in sporadic, familial, and Down syndrome cases. It is a hypothesis only and offers no treatment, cure, or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
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 (Medical hypotheses) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Medical Hypotheses: journal h-index 138 (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 | 1989 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 62 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.6 citations a year over 39 year(s) since 1989 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.7× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author С. И. Рапопорт: h-index 67 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | National Institutes of Health: institution h-index 2,723 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 2528670) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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