EGFR and Alzheimer disease: However, another paper of the same authors shows that EGFR levels are increased in young flies expressing human pan-Aβ42 and showing early stages of AD phenotypes while in aged flies showing late stages of AD phenotype, EGFR levels are strongly reduced and this leads to neuronal degeneration, corroborating the importance of the role of EGFR in sustaining neurons [189].