Neural receptors and Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review of the literature on receptor families most associated with the disease, their functions and expression areas

ABSTRACT Objective The article aims to find the receptors family involved with Alzheimer’s disease most studied as well as the tissue that most receptors are expressed. This study also aims to determine the functions predominantly associated with the pathology. In addition, the work seeks to show the models and techniques most used, as well as summarize the findings and discuss the impact of these studies on scientific knowledge. Methods This review addressed a systematic methodology (Prospero; ID 141957). Results It can be seen that nuclear transcription receptors were the most studied. Most of these receptors are expressed in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Additionally, a great number of studies evaluated the receptors related to beneficial effects in the disease. The depletion of amyloid protein or the blockade of pathways related to its synthesis were the main functions performed by these receptors. Finally, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR techniques, respectively, were the most used and the rodents were the main study model. Conclusions Nuclear transcription receptors, cerebral cortex and hippocampus, microglia, and amyloid beta protein have shown significant importance in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease in this study.