A lipid-invasion model for Alzheimer’s Disease

What is it about?

This paper describes a potential new explanation for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), referred to here as the lipid-invasion model. It proposes that AD is primarily caused by the influx of lipids following the breakdown of the blood brain barrier (BBB). The model argues that a principal role of the BBB is to protect the brain from external lipid access. When the BBB is damaged, it allows a mass influx of (mainly albumin-bound) free fatty acids (FFAs) and lipid-rich lipoproteins to the brain, which in turn causes neurodegeneration, amyloidosis, tau tangles and other AD characteristics.

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Why is it important?

As growing doubts are beginning to be raised about the current dominant explanation of Alzheimer's disease, the amyloid cascade hypothesis, new ideas about what causes it, why it affects the brain the way it does and how to prevent and treat it are urgently needed. The lipid invasion model provides a radically different explanation about Alzheimer's disease, implying that a very different approach needs to be taken in its prevention and treatment. Growing evidence supports this hypothesis, including the fact that most identified risk factors for AD are also known to damage the blood brain barrier, and a number of recent and past findings suggest that lipid abnormalities are associated with the disease.

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