Fig. 14
From: Astrocytes in human central nervous system diseases: a frontier for new therapies
Glial reactivity, decline and paralysis define the pathophysiology of AD. At the prodromal and early stages of the disease astrocytes display atrophic morphology possibly indicating limited homoeostatic support, which may lead to the early synaptic malfunction. After emergence of the plaques reactive astrocytes and microglia surround β-amyloid depositions to protect the nervous tissue. Progressive decline in glial neuroprotection and homoeostatic support culminates in glial paralysis which permits neuronal death and brain atrophy manifested in dementia
