Novel disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common progressive dementia in the elderly and places an enormous burden on the individual and society. Presently, the treatments for AD are only symptomatic and do not halt the progression of the disease. With the recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of AD in past years, numerous therapies which could modify the disease process are under active investigation. These therapies could attenuate or even reverse the neurodegenerative process by interfering with the underlying pathogenesis including amyloid-β production, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and excitotoxicity. In this review, new disease-modifying therapies which reduce amyloid-β production, prevent tau hyperphosphorylation, and provide neuroprotective effects are described, including the results of in vitro and in vivo studies and clinical trials. Some typical therapies with disease-modifying effects have also been discussed.