Of Energy and Entropy: The Ineluctable Impact of Aging in Old Age Dementia
Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18(12), 2672; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18122672
Received: 6 October 2017
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Revised: 4 December 2017
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Accepted: 7 December 2017
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Published: 9 December 2017
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Inflammaging and Oxidative Stress in Aging and Age-Related Disorders)
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents the most common form of dementia among older age subjects, and despite decades of studies, the underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. The definition of AD has changed over the past 100 years, and while early-onset AD is commonly related to genetic mutations, late-onset AD is more likely due to a gradual accumulation of age-related modifications. “Normal brain aging” and AD may represent different pathways of successful or failed capability to adapt brain structures and cerebral functions. Cellular senescence and age-related changes (ARCs) affecting the brain may be considered as biologic manifestations of increasing entropy, a measure of disorder. Late-onset AD may be regarded as the final effect of a reduced energy production, due to exhausted mitochondria, and an increased entropy in the brain. This unique trajectory enables a bioenergetics-centered strategy targeting disease-stage specific profile of brain metabolism for disease prevention and treatment.
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Keywords:
dementia; elderly; entropy; energy; mitochondria; oxidative stress
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MDPI and ACS Style
Boccardi, V.; Comanducci, C.; Baroni, M.; Mecocci, P. Of Energy and Entropy: The Ineluctable Impact of Aging in Old Age Dementia. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18, 2672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18122672
AMA Style
Boccardi V, Comanducci C, Baroni M, Mecocci P. Of Energy and Entropy: The Ineluctable Impact of Aging in Old Age Dementia. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2017; 18(12):2672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18122672
Chicago/Turabian StyleBoccardi, Virginia, Chiara Comanducci, Marta Baroni, and Patrizia Mecocci. 2017. "Of Energy and Entropy: The Ineluctable Impact of Aging in Old Age Dementia" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18, no. 12: 2672. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18122672
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