Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in nervous system and Alzheimer disease

Given the fact that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways play critical roles in regulating almost all cellular processes from gene express-ion to cell death, and that all three major MAPK pathways, i.e., extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) pathway,ay, and p38 pathway, are activated in susceptible neurons in Alzheimer disease, the importance of these pathways in the disease pathogenesis ahs become increasingly recognized. In this review we discuss some salient progress of the role of MAPK in Alzheimer disease after reviewing the general organization and biological function of MAPK pathways.