Senile plaques in the brain are associated with which neurodegenerative disease?

Senile plaques, also known as amyloid plaques, are primarily associated with Alzheimer's disease. These plaques are abnormal clusters of protein fragments, primarily made up of beta-amyloid peptides, that accumulate between nerve cells in the brain. The presence of these plaques is a key pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss.

In Alzheimer's disease, the accumulation of amyloid plaques is believed to play a critical role in the neurodegenerative process, leading to synaptic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and ultimately neuronal death. This pathophysiological process contributes to the clinical manifestations of the disease.

Other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, have distinct pathological features. Parkinson's disease is primarily associated with the presence of Lewy bodies and the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Huntington's disease is characterized by the degeneration of neurons in specific areas of the brain, especially the basal ganglia, but does not involve the formation of amyloid plaques. Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune demyelinating disease, is not associated with senile plaques but rather with the formation of plaques of demyelination.

Thus, recognition of senile plaques as a defining characteristic of Alzheimer's