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A new direction for Alzheimer's research.
1Marshall University School of Medicine, Medical Center, Huntington, WV, USA.
Neural Regeneration Research
|March 21, 2018
Summary
Current Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatments are insufficient. This study proposes a new approach, viewing AD as four distinct pathological processes and recommending combination therapies and improved cognitive assessment tools for better drug development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) lacks a definitive cure despite extensive research.
- Existing drug testing paradigms may be inadequate for addressing AD's complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose necessary changes in Alzheimer's disease drug testing.
- To advocate for a multi-faceted therapeutic approach to AD treatment.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual framework: Reclassifying AD into four primary pathological processes.
- Methodology: Recommending the Dementia Severity Rating Scale (DSRS) over MMSE for cognitive assessment.
- Therapeutic strategy: Suggesting combination therapies targeting all four identified etiologies.
Main Results:
- The study identifies four key pathological processes in AD: hypoperfusion/mitochondrial dysfunction, protein inclusions, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation.
- The Dementia Severity Rating Scale (DSRS) is proposed as a superior tool for measuring cognitive decline in AD clinical trials.
- A combination therapy approach, utilizing "off-label" drugs, is suggested to address the multifaceted nature of AD.
Conclusions:
- A paradigm shift in understanding AD as a multifactorial disease is crucial for therapeutic advancement.
- Implementing revised assessment tools and combination therapies could significantly improve AD drug development outcomes.
- The proposed framework offers a novel strategy for tackling the complexities of Alzheimer's disease.