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The connection between autophagy and Alzheimer’s disease
Lior Nechushtai, D. Chen, Frenkel Dan, Ronit Pinkas‐Kramarski. Inflammation Research, 2025-10-22
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease associated with accumulation of amyloid beta peptides and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles formed by hyperphosphorylated Tau. Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved process of self-degradation and turnover of cellular constituents, is important for normal cell growth but may be defective in diseases. A growing body of data implies that autophagy strongly affects AD pathogenesis. Autophagy mediates degradation of damaged organelles and proteins as well as neurotoxic aggregates, by regulating their clearance. Thus, impaired autophagy may account for the accumulation of protein aggregates. Since AD is characterized by neuroinflammation, impaired mitochondrial and lysosomal functions, and the accumulation of protein aggregates, the roles of autophagy/mitophagy in Alzheimer's will be extensively evaluated. In the current review, we will discuss the connection between autophagy/mitophagy and Alzheimer's. It seems that Alzheimer-related proteins such as APOE4, TREM2, PSEN1/2, APP and Tau can regulate autophagy. In turn, depending on the cellular system and animal model, autophagy regulating proteins such as Atg7, BECN1, GSK3B, MAP1LC3B, SQSTM1, TFEB and VCP can affect AD progression as discussed. We will also describe the effect of sex and lifestyle impact on autophagy and AD. Finally, we will describe how the current knowledge may contribute to potential therapeutic strategies.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Nechushtai, L., Chen, D., Dan, F., & Pinkas‐Kramarski, R. (2025). The connection between autophagy and Alzheimer’s disease. Inflammation Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-025-02118-0
Vancouver
Nechushtai L, Chen D, Dan F, Pinkas‐Kramarski R. The connection between autophagy and Alzheimer’s disease. Inflammation Research. 2025. doi:10.1007/s00011-025-02118-0. PMID: 41123674.
BibTeX
@article{nechushtai2025-41123674,
author = {Nechushtai, Lior and Chen, D. and Dan, Frenkel and Pinkas‐Kramarski, Ronit},
title = {{The connection between autophagy and Alzheimer’s disease}},
journal = {Inflammation Research},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1007/s00011-025-02118-0},
pmid = {41123674},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-025-02118-0}
}
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
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease associated with accumulation of amyloid beta peptides and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles formed by hyperphosphorylated Tau.
Why it matters
This review discusses how autophagy and mitophagy relate to Alzheimer's disease, noting that impaired autophagy may account for the accumulation of protein aggregates and that Alzheimer-related proteins such as APOE4, TREM2, PSEN1/2, APP and Tau can regulate autophagy. It is a review of existing evidence and does not report a new treatment, cure or prevention for patients.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
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 (Inflammation Research) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Inflammation Research: 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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 14 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.7× 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 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ronit Pinkas‐Kramarski: h-index 47 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Tel Aviv University: institution h-index 1,018 (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 41123674) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s00011-025-02118-0
- PubMed: 41123674
- Original source →
- Free full text: Inflammation Research →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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