Sensory processing deficits and related cortical pathological changes in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting cognitive functions. However, sensory deficits in AD start to draw attention due to their high prevalence and early onsets which suggest that they could potentially serve as diagnostic biomarkers and even contribute to the disease progression. This literature review examines the sensory deficits and cortical pathological changes observed in visual, auditory, olfactory, and somatosensory systems in AD patients, as well as in various AD animal models. Sensory deficits may emerge at the early stages of AD, or even precede the cognitive decline, which is accompanied by cortical pathological changes including amyloid-beta deposition, tauopathy, gliosis, and alterations in neuronal excitability, synaptic inputs, and functional plasticity. Notably, these changes are more pronounced in sensory association areas and superficial cortical layers, which may explain the relative preservation of basic sensory functions but early display of deficits of higher sensory functions. We propose that sensory impairment and the progression of AD may establish a cyclical relationship that mutually perpetuates each condition. This review highlights the significance of sensory deficits with or without cortical pathological changes in AD and emphasizes the need for further research to develop reliable early detection and intervention through sensory systems.