Age-dependent deterioration of neuronal membranes and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: a hypothesis.

Senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT) is considered either a specific pathological condition unrelated to normal aging or an accumulation of brain aging alterations leading to clinical dysfunction. In the present paper a hypothesis is formulated to reconcile these two issues to a common denominator, i.e. the increased age-dependent deterioration of the neuronal membrane. If this holds true, normal aging and SDAT may be considered as two different aspects of the same problem and specific interventions to slow down the former can delay the onset of the latter to older ages.