amyloid protein plaque
Noun: A pathological deposit found in nervous tissue, specifically in the brain, composed of dense, insoluble aggregates of amyloid protein. These plaques are a key pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and are associated with the disruption of neural communication and cell death.
This term is used exclusively in medical and scientific contexts, particularly in neurology, pathology, and research related to neurodegenerative diseases. * The post-mortem examination revealed the presence of amyloid protein plaque in the patient's cerebral cortex. * Researchers are studying therapies aimed at clearing amyloid protein plaque from the brain.
- Often referred to simply as amyloid plaque or senile plaque in technical literature.
- The formation of amyloid protein plaque is a central component of the amyloid cascade hypothesis, which is a leading theory explaining the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
- Amyloid plaque (n): A common abbreviated form.
- Senile plaque (n): A synonymous term frequently used in neuropathology.
- Beta-amyloid plaque (n): A more specific term indicating the plaque is composed of beta-amyloid peptides, which is the most common type in Alzheimer's disease.
- Neurofibrillary tangle (n): Another pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, consisting of twisted tau protein fibers inside neurons, often found alongside amyloid plaques.
- Senile plaque
- Amyloid plaque
- Neuritic plaque (specifically when the plaque is surrounded by damaged neuronal processes)
The term refers strictly to the physical, pathological structure. It is distinct from: * Amyloid protein or beta-amyloid: These terms refer to the protein fragments themselves before they aggregate into plaques. * Symptoms of dementia: The plaque is a biological marker, not the symptoms (like memory loss) it helps cause.
- a plaque consisting of tangles of amyloid protein in nervous tissue (a pathological mark of Alzheimer's disease)