[Growth and aging factors in physiological senility and Alzheimer's disease].

INTRODUCTION

Both the normal and pathological development and involution of the CNS are regulated by an important set of both, 'growth factors' (inducing growth, differentiation, survival, adaptation or plasticity in neurons) and 'ageing factors' (inducing involution, atrophy, necrosis or apoptosis). In neurodegenerative diseases, significant deficits of growth factors and important presence of ageing factors are being detected, mainly in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

DEVELOPMENT: In this review, the most important growth factors (NGF, BDNF, neuromodulators, glial factors, etc.) and ageing factors (amyloid, tanatins, calcium, mitochondrial factors, etc.) in the pathogenesis of the AD are discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge and assessment of these endogenous factors must have an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of the cognitive impairment that characterizes senility and AD.