The unique role of anosognosia in the clinical progression of Alzheimer’s disease: a disorder-network perspective

Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) encompasses a long continuum from a preclinical phase, characterized by neuropathological alterations albeit normal cognition, to a symptomatic phase, marked by its clinical manifestations. Yet, the neural mechanisms responsible for cognitive decline in AD patients...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Katia Andrade, Valentina Pacella
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-10-01
Series:Communications Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07076-7
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Summary:Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) encompasses a long continuum from a preclinical phase, characterized by neuropathological alterations albeit normal cognition, to a symptomatic phase, marked by its clinical manifestations. Yet, the neural mechanisms responsible for cognitive decline in AD patients remain poorly understood. Here, we posit that anosognosia, emerging from an error-monitoring failure due to early amyloid-β deposits in the posterior cingulate cortex, plays a causal role in the clinical progression of AD by preventing patients from being aware of their deficits and implementing strategies to cope with their difficulties, thus fostering a vicious circle of cognitive decline.
ISSN:2399-3642