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Published on: March 16, 2016

Current approaches in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Reena S Shah1, Hyoung-Gon Lee, Zhu Xiongwei

  • 1Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & Pharmacotherapie
|April 15, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Current Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatments focus on managing symptoms through cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. Emerging therapies targeting amyloid-beta and neurotropins show promise but require further investigation.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Geriatrics

Background:

  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a significant and growing global health challenge.
  • Understanding AD pathogenesis has driven the development of novel therapeutic strategies over the past 20 years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current and experimental therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease.
  • To evaluate treatments targeting key pathological pathways in AD.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of AD management strategies.
  • Analysis of treatments addressing cholinergic deficiency, oxidative stress, amyloid cascade, inflammation, and excitotoxicity.

Main Results:

  • Cholinesterase inhibitors are standard for early-to-intermediate AD; memantine is used for advanced stages.
  • Antioxidants may offer modest benefits in delaying progression.
  • Experimental therapies, including gene therapy and amyloid-beta targeting drugs, show preliminary promise but need more extensive research.

Conclusions:

  • Established therapies provide symptomatic relief for Alzheimer's disease.
  • Innovative treatments targeting underlying disease mechanisms are under active investigation and hold future therapeutic potential.

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