New research suggests that accumulation of amyloid-ß peptides in cerebral blood vessels, as opposed to the brain itself, may be a more important pathological mediator of Alzheimer’s disease. Two independent yet related articles describe such findings in the August issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Both articles are highlighted on the Journal’s cover. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of progressive dementia, affects an estimated 4.5 million Americans according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Amyloid-ß (Aß) deposition is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease and other cerebral amyloid angiopathies. However, exactly how Aß accumulates and causes damage is not fully understood.
