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Alzheimer's disease. A critical review
1Gothenburg University, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, St. Jörgen's Hospital, Hisings Backa, Sweden.
Comprehensive Gerontology. Section C, Interdisciplinary Topics
|December 1, 1988
Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) are progressive dementia disorders. Current treatments offer marginal benefits, highlighting the need for further clinical research into homogeneous subgroups for therapeutic progress.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Pathology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) are characterized by senile plaques and fibrillary tangles.
- While often grouped as Alzheimer dementias (AD/SDAT), AD and SDAT are distinct diagnoses.
- The etiology of AD/SDAT is multifactorial, with hypotheses including genetics, toxins, and metabolic disturbances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT).
- To discuss the proposed etiologies, pathogenesis, and diagnostic hallmarks of AD/SDAT.
- To evaluate current and potential pharmacological treatment strategies and identify areas for future research.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical and neuropathological findings in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT).
- Analysis of proposed etiological factors and pathogenetic mechanisms.
- Evaluation of existing and experimental pharmacological treatments, including cholinergic drugs, 5-HT reuptake blockers, and L-dopa.
Main Results:
- No reliable biological markers for AD/SDAT are currently available.
- Pharmacological treatments have shown limited success, with marginal effects on memory and some influence on emotional and motor disturbances.
- Clinical investigations suggest potential subgroups within dementia, but neurobiological research has outpaced clinical subgroup delimitation.
Conclusions:
- Further clinical research is crucial for identifying homogeneous dementia subgroups to advance therapeutic strategies for AD/SDAT.
- Current treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) offer limited efficacy.
- Despite ongoing research into neuropathology and neurochemistry, significant therapeutic progress in AD/SDAT requires enhanced clinical investigation.