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The Aβ oligomer hypothesis for synapse failure and memory loss in Alzheimer's disease
Ferreira ST, Klein WL.. Neurobiology of learning and memory, 2011-09-06
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the 3rd most costly disease and the leading cause of dementia. It can linger for many years, but ultimately is fatal, the 6th leading cause of death. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is fatal and affected individuals can sometimes linger many years. Current treatments are palliative and transient, not disease modifying. This article reviews progress in the search to identify the primary AD-causing toxins. We summarize the shift from an initial focus on amyloid plaques to the contemporary concept that AD memory failure is caused by small soluble oligomers of the Aβ peptide, toxins that target and disrupt particular synapses. Evidence is presented that links Aβ oligomers to pathogenesis in animal models and humans, with reference to seminal discoveries from cell biology and new ideas concerning pathogenic mechanisms, including relationships to diabetes and Fragile X. These findings have established the oligomer hypothesis as a new molecular basis for the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of AD.
Key findings
- These findings have established the oligomer hypothesis as a new molecular basis for the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of AD.
Why it matters
This review argues that small soluble Aβ oligomers, rather than amyloid plaques, are the toxins that disrupt synapses and cause memory failure in Alzheimer's disease. It presents the oligomer hypothesis as a new basis for the cause, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease, though it does not report a new treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
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 learning and memory) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Neurobiology of Learning and Memory: journal h-index 155 (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 | 2011 — 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 442 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 26.0 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 17.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 52 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author William L. Klein: h-index 79 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Northwestern University: institution h-index 1,592 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21914486) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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
Ferreira, S. T., & Klein, W. L. (2011). The Aβ oligomer hypothesis for synapse failure and memory loss in Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of learning and memory. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2011.08.003
Vancouver
Ferreira ST, Klein WL. The Aβ oligomer hypothesis for synapse failure and memory loss in Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of learning and memory. 2011. doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2011.08.003. PMID: 21914486.
BibTeX
@article{ferreira2011-21914486,
author = {Ferreira, S. T. and Klein, W. L.},
title = {{The Aβ oligomer hypothesis for synapse failure and memory loss in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Neurobiology of learning and memory},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1016/j.nlm.2011.08.003},
pmid = {21914486},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2011.08.003}
}
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