Alterations in neurofilaments and the transformation of the cytoskeleton in axons may provide insight into the aberrant neuronal changes of Alzheimer's disease

Neurofilaments are major protein constituents of the brain, but are particularly abundant in specific subpopulations of neurons and likely have a key role in the regulation of axonal calibre. Neurofilament proteins may also be involved in the transformation of the neuronal cytoskeleton leading to substantial tau pathology in axons damaged by Aβ, subsequently leading to neurofibrillary pathology in their cell bodies of origin. An understanding of neurofilamentous changes in axons and subsequent tau pathology may provide insight into how Aβ pathology may stimulate an aberrant plasticity-related response of damaged neurons, leading to the progressive and degenerative changes in the neuronal cytoskeleton that result in synapse loss and neuronal degeneration.