The Rationale for Radiation Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) represents a major health problem without effective treatments. As the incidence of the disease will continue to rise, it is imperative to find new treatment options to halt or slow disease progression. In recent years, several groups have begun to study the utility of low total dose radiation therapy (LTDRT) to inhibit some of the pathological features of AD and improve cognition in a variety of animal models. These preclinical studies have led to Phase 1 and 2 trials in different centers around the world. In this review, we present and interpret the pre-clinical evidence report some preliminary clinical data from a Phase 2 trial in early-stage AD patients.