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Inflammation, autotoxicity and Alzheimer disease
McGeer PL, McGeer EG.. Neurobiology of aging, 2001-11-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Neuroinflammation is a central feature of Alzheimer disease (AD). It involves an innate immune reaction of sufficient intensity that self attack on neurons occurs. This phenomenon is best described as autotoxicity to distinguish it from classical autoimmunity which involves cloning of peripheral lymphocytes.
Key findings
- It involves an innate immune reaction of sufficient intensity that self attack on neurons occurs.
- This phenomenon is best described as autotoxicity to distinguish it from classical autoimmunity which involves cloning of peripheral lymphocytes.
- Many compounds have been identified in AD brain which are known to promote and sustain inflammatory responses.
- They include beta-amyloid protein; the pentraxins C-reactive protein and amyloid P; complement proteins; the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha; the protease inhibitors alpha-2-macroglobulin and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin; and the prostaglandin generating cyclooxygenases COX-1 and COX-2.
Why it matters
This review describes neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease as an innate immune reaction intense enough to attack neurons, a process it calls autotoxicity. It identifies inflammatory compounds present in Alzheimer's brain but reports no treatment, cure or prevention result.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
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 (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (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 | 2001 — 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 479 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 17.7 citations a year over 27 year(s) since 2001 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 19.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 18 other studies in this library |
| 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 P. L. McGeer: h-index 14 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of British Columbia: institution h-index 1,424 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 11754986) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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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
McGeer, P. L., & McGeer, E. G. (2001). Inflammation, autotoxicity and Alzheimer disease. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-4580(01)00289-5
Vancouver
McGeer PL, McGeer EG. Inflammation, autotoxicity and Alzheimer disease. Neurobiology of aging. 2001. doi:10.1016/s0197-4580(01)00289-5. PMID: 11754986.
BibTeX
@article{mcgeer2001-11754986,
author = {McGeer, P. L. and McGeer, E. G.},
title = {{Inflammation, autotoxicity and Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2001},
doi = {10.1016/s0197-4580(01)00289-5},
pmid = {11754986},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-4580(01)00289-5}
}
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