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- Glossary
Confabulation
Confabulation refers to a memory or explanation that the person concerned is completely convinced is true, but which is objectively false. There is no conscious intent to deceive behind this. The cause is usually medical, such as damage to the orbitofrontal or other frontal brain areas, amnestic syndrome (e.g., Korsakoff's syndrome), traumatic brain injury, or dementia.
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- Glossary
Microtubules
Microtubules are one of the main components of the cytoskeleton, which gives cells stability and support. They consist of many copies of the proteins alpha- and beta-tubulin, which pair up to form tubes with a diameter of 20 to 30 nanometers. In addition to their supporting function, microtubules play an important role in transporting messenger substances through the cell. In neurons, for example, vesicles filled with neurotransmitters move along them to the synapses. In the nerve cells of the brains of Alzheimer's patients, a protein called tau can no longer stabilize the microtubules properly. As a result, they disintegrate, which contributes significantly to the development of dementia.
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- Glossary
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cortical atrophy, nerve cell loss, synapse loss, and deposits of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, leading to dementia and loss of function. Early symptoms include memory problems, speech disorders, executive deficits, depressive moods, and subtle personality changes. As the disease progresses, global cognitive impairment, aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, and behavioral abnormalities such as apathy, restlessness, and sleep disorders occur. The disease was first described in 1907 by Alois Alzheimer.
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- Glossary
Neuroenhancement
Neuroenhancement is about improving cognitive performance. To this end, drugs used to treat dementia, hyperactivity, or narcolepsy are taken by healthy individuals with the aim of improving their learning abilities, increasing their alertness, or staying awake and active for longer. In addition to the ethical questions this raises, there is also medical controversy as to whether this self-medication actually works and what the long-term consequences might be.
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- Glossary
Positron emission tomography
An imaging technique that helps doctors visualize metabolic processes in the body. The patient is injected with a weakly radioactive substance that emits positrons, i.e., beta radiation. When the positrons encounter electrons in the body, energy is released in the form of two photons. These photons travel in opposite directions. Detectors are arranged around the patient in the PET scanner to register the photons that strike them. This makes it possible to track whether the radioactive substance accumulates in certain areas of the body, which can indicate the presence of a tumor, for example. Positron emission tomography is also used in the early diagnosis of dementia. The radiation exposure is low and acceptable in a medical context.
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- Glossary
Pre-dementia
Alzheimer's disease typically progresses through several clinical stages, preceded by an early phase with initial cognitive impairments. This phase, formerly known as pre-dementia, is now usually referred to as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease. It can manifest itself through symptoms such as declining short-term memory. With modern imaging techniques, especially amyloid PET, characteristic amyloid deposits in the brain can already be detected in this early phase. Laboratory chemical analyses of blood or cerebrospinal fluid can also provide indications of changes in protein concentrations typical of Alzheimer's disease. Although the clinical diagnosis of dementia is only made in later stages, the underlying Alzheimer's pathology can often be detected in advance today.
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- Topic
Nutrition
Our brain is what we eat
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- Basics
- Communication of Cells
The Human Brain Project: Review/Preview
The Human Brain Project has come to an end. It was more than the initial visions of its founder – as its legacy shows.
06.11.2023
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- Discover
- Milestones
Alois Alzheimer: Mad-Doctor with a Microscope
Alzheimer's is one of the most well-known diseases of our time. But initially, it – along with its discoverer – was largely ignored.
18.09.2013
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- Basics
- Anatomy
The Insular Lobe
Deeply hidden in the temporal lobe lies the insular cortex: ancient, versatile, and full of surprises.
08.07.2025
