Protein aggregation and amyloid fibril deposits in the central nervous system are characteristic features of more than 2 dozens of pathologic conditions. The various peptides thought to underlie these disorders have striking structural and functional similarities. The main difference between them at the molecular level is whether they are endogenously produced particles, exogenously transmitted infectious agents, or both. These similarities and novel approaches to their transmissibility are discussed in this review-based hypothesis.
2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.