Resveratrol and Alzheimer's Disease: Mechanistic Insights

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly and is characterized by progressive cognitive and memory deficits. The pathological hallmarks of AD include extracellular senile plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Although several mechanisms have been used to explain the underlying pathogenesis of AD, current treatment regimens remain inadequate. The neuroprotective effects of the polyphenolic stilbene resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) have been investigated in several in vitro and in vivo models of AD. The current review discusses the multiple potential mechanisms of action of resveratrol on the pathobiology of AD. Moreover, due to the limited pharmacokinetic parameters of resveratrol, multiple strategies aimed at increasing the bioavailability of resveratrol have also been addressed.