Fragile X Syndrome and Alzheimers Disease: Another Story About APP and β -Amyloid

Title: Fragile X Syndrome and Alzheimers Disease: Another Story About APP and β -Amyloid

Volume: 7 Issue: 3

Author(s): J.S. Malter, B.C. Ray, P.R. Westmark and C.J. Westmark

Affiliation:

Keywords: Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR), Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-amyloid

Abstract: As the mechanisms underlying neuronal development and degeneration become clarified, a number of common effectors and signaling pathways are becoming apparent. Here we describe the identification of Aβ, long considered a pathologic mediator of Alzheimers Disease and Down Syndrome, as similarly over-expressed in the neurodevelopmental disease, Fragile X Syndrome. We also show that mGluR5 inhibitors, currently employed for the treatment of Fragile X, reduce Aβ production in rodent models of Fragile X and AD as well as reduce disease phenotypes including seizures. Thus seemingly disparate neurologic diseases may share a common pathologic instigator and be treatable with a common, currently available class of therapeutics.

Cite this article as:

Malter J.S., Ray B.C., Westmark P.R. and Westmark C.J., Fragile X Syndrome and Alzheimers Disease: Another Story About APP and β -Amyloid, Current Alzheimer Research 2010; 7 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156720510791050957