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The Amyloid Hypothesis of Alzheimer's Disease: Progress and Problems on the Road to Therapeutics
John Hardy, Dennis J. Selkoe. Science, 2002-07-19
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
It has been more than 10 years since it was first proposed that the neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be caused by deposition of amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) in plaques in brain tissue. According to the amyloid hypothesis, accumulation of Abeta in the brain is the primary influence driving AD pathogenesis. The rest of the disease process, including formation of neurofibrillary tangles containing tau protein, is proposed to result from an imbalance between Abeta production and Abeta clearance.
Key findings
- The rest of the disease process, including formation of neurofibrillary tangles containing tau protein, is proposed to result from an imbalance between Abeta production and Abeta clearance.
Why it matters
This paper describes the amyloid hypothesis, which proposes that accumulation of amyloid beta-peptide in the brain is the primary influence driving Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. According to the hypothesis, the rest of the disease process, including formation of neurofibrillary tangles containing tau protein, is proposed to result from an imbalance between amyloid beta production and clearance.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 65/100
Published in a top-tier 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 | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (Science) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Science: journal h-index 1,754 (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 | 2002 — 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 | 7 / 7 | Cited 13,875 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 533.7 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 140.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 6 / 6 | Cited by 324 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 1,393 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Dennis J. Selkoe: h-index 174 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12130773) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 65 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
Hardy, J., & Selkoe, D. J. (2002). The Amyloid Hypothesis of Alzheimer's Disease: Progress and Problems on the Road to Therapeutics. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1072994
Vancouver
Hardy J, Selkoe DJ. The Amyloid Hypothesis of Alzheimer's Disease: Progress and Problems on the Road to Therapeutics. Science. 2002. doi:10.1126/science.1072994. PMID: 12130773.
BibTeX
@article{hardy2002-12130773,
author = {Hardy, John and Selkoe, Dennis J.},
title = {{The Amyloid Hypothesis of Alzheimer's Disease: Progress and Problems on the Road to Therapeutics}},
journal = {Science},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.1126/science.1072994},
pmid = {12130773},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1072994}
}
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