Impairment of LTP, LTD and Metaplasticity During the Early Stages of Alzheimer's Disease: A Computational Study

Alzheimer's disease is a common form of dementia that is caused by the accumulation of a protein called amyloid beta in the brain. This protein impairs certain mechanisms of information processing in the brain, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), which play a critical role in the development of the disease. The exact mechanism underlying this effect is not yet known. In this study, a computational model is used to investigate the effect of blocking various potassium channels on the impairment of LTP and LTD during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The results suggest that the blockage of specific potassium channels during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease can lead to a reduction in LTP and an increase in LTD induction in dentate granule cells, which accelerates the development of the disease. These findings have implications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.