Clinically tested drugs for Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease poses a major health problem in developed countries and vigorous research is underway aimed at finding effective treatments. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are approved but give only temporary cognitive benefit to a percentage of patients. Their relative ineffectiveness is not surprising since the neuronal loss comprises much more than the forebrain cholinergic system. What is needed is a drug that will halt the neuronal death and thus progression of the disease. Avenues being explored are aimed at pathological features of the disease, i.e., drugs aimed at removing the amyloid burden which forms the plaques or reducing the neurotoxic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress which characterise the diseased brain regions. There are some promising leads, but more definitive clinical trials are required. Any agent designed to slow progression should clearly be used at an early stage of the disorder; therefore methods of early diagnosis are also essential.