Skip to content

References: The Neuroscience of Neurodegeneration

A curated list of high-quality resources to deepen your understanding of the neuroscience behind neurodegeneration. Wikipedia articles offer free, well-sourced overviews; textbooks provide authoritative depth; online resources from major dementia organizations give practical, up-to-date guidance.

  1. Neurodegenerative disease - Wikipedia - Broad overview of disorders in which neurons progressively die, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS. Frames the biological themes central to this chapter.

  2. Amyloid beta - Wikipedia - Detailed article on the amyloid-beta protein that forms plaques in Alzheimer's disease, covering its biology, aggregation, and role in neurodegeneration.

  3. Tau protein - Wikipedia - Article on tau, its normal role in neurons, and how abnormal tau forms the neurofibrillary tangles that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's and related tauopathies.

  4. Principles of Neural Science (6th ed.) - Eric R. Kandel, John D. Koester, Sarah H. Mack, and Steven A. Siegelbaum - McGraw-Hill - Chapters on neurodegeneration and dementia provide authoritative, detailed coverage of the cellular and molecular processes discussed in this chapter.

  5. Neuropathology: A Reference Text of CNS Pathology - Seth Love, Arie Perry, James Ironside, and Herbert Budka - Elsevier - A major neuropathology reference describing the microscopic changes seen in Alzheimer's, Lewy body disease, and other dementias, ideal for deeper study.

  6. Alzheimer's Disease: Causes and Risk Factors - National Institute on Aging - Federal explainer on amyloid, tau, inflammation, and vascular contributions to Alzheimer's, complementing the biological mechanisms covered in this chapter.

  7. What Happens to the Brain in Alzheimer's Disease? - National Institute on Aging - Plain-language walkthrough of plaques, tangles, synaptic loss, and brain atrophy, directly supporting the neurodegenerative processes described here.

  8. Inside the Brain: An Interactive Tour - Alzheimer's Association - Interactive tour showing how Alzheimer's pathology spreads through the brain, reinforcing the chapter's discussion of progressive neurodegeneration.

  9. Alzheimer's Disease Research - BrightFocus Foundation - Regularly updated lay summaries of neuroscience research on dementia mechanisms, useful for readers wanting current perspectives beyond the textbook.

  10. Dementia Information - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - Federal clinical overview that connects pathology, symptoms, and research on neurodegeneration in dementia.