Dictionary

Alzheimer's disease (AD): Also known simply as Alzheimer's, AD is a neurodegenerative disease. Characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration and by neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes, AD is the most common type of dementia. May be associated with amyloidosis.

amylin: See islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP).

amyloid: Insoluble fibrous protein aggregations sharing specific structural traits.

amyloidosis: A group of diseases in which one or more organ systems in the body accumulate deposits of abnormal proteins known as amyloid.

amyloid beta: A peptide of 39 to 43 amino acids that is the main constituent of amyloid plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients.

antibodies: Important agents in the body's immune system. An antibody is capable of identifying antigens (foreign substances), such as bacteria and viruses. Once identified, antigens are treated as a threat and the antibody tags the foreign body for removal by white blood cells.

bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE): Commonly known as mad cow disease, BSE is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease of cattle. BSE attracted wide attention because it seems possible to transmit the disease to humans. BSE is thought to be the cause of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, sometimes called new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a human brain-wasting disease.

cardiac amyloidosis: Cardiac amyloidosis is a disorder caused by deposits of an abnormal protein in the heart tissue, resulting in decreased heart function.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD): A very rare and incurable degenerative neurological disorder (brain disease) that is ultimately fatal. Involves amyloid plaque formation.

Crohn's disease: An ongoing disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract; linked to secondary amyloidosis.