[Emerging Therapeutic Targets Revealed by Genome Analysis in Alzheimer's Disease]

Cutting-edge genomics technologies have substantially improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The identification of mutations in APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 causative for autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) has provided the basis of the "amyloid cascade" hypothesis of the pathogenetic mechanism of AD. While a number of therapeutic candidates targeting amyloid-β were developed using genetically engineered mouse models of ADAD, none have proven successful in mitigating the symptoms of AD in phase III clinical trials. Thus, we must reconsider the modification of AD pathogenesis by targets within the amyloid cascade, and explore new targets for AD therapy. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the recent genetic studies of AD from this perspective, and discusses prospective and emerging therapeutic interventions for patients with AD.