An Aggregation‐Induced Emission Fluorescent Probe for Detecting β‐Amyloid Plaques

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) causes irreversible permanent neurological damage in patients' brains. Early diagnosis of potential AD patients can allow timely intervention and delay progression. β‐amyloid (Aβ) deposition is the earliest pathological hallmark and one of the core pathologies, which is a potential diagnostic biomarker for AD. Developing probes capable of early detecting Aβ deposition in the brain can provide crucial technical support for the early diagnosis and intervention of AD, representing the first step in preventing irreversible neuronal damage. In this study, an AIE fluorescent probe (ZL) with fluorescence imaging for detecting Aβ was designed and synthesized. The probe ZL can specifically bind to Aβ fibrils, offering a high signal‐to‐noise ratio, high sensitivity, good biocompatibility, and fluorescence stability in vitro. Notably, ZL can cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in mice and enable in situ imaging of Aβ fibrils in the brain. Therefore, the probe could be a promising tool for in situ and real time monitoring of the Aβ deposition in the brain.