Alzheimer's Disease: The Current and Emerging Treatment Approaches

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs).
• Cognitive dysfunction is a primary symptom, often appearing after pathological changes have begun.
• Current AD treatments offer limited efficacy, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches targeting core pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review traditional and novel drugs for Alzheimer's disease (AD) that target its key pathological features.
• To evaluate the therapeutic potential of plant extracts in managing AD progression.
• To explore advanced drug delivery systems, including viral vectors and nanoparticles, for gene therapy and targeted treatment.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of existing and emerging AD therapies.
• Analysis of studies on plant-derived compounds with potential anti-AD activity.
• Examination of research on viral vectors and nanoparticles for drug delivery in AD treatment.

Main Results:

• Traditional drugs offer some delay in AD progression, but novel agents targeting Aβ plaques and NFTs show promise.
• Certain plant extracts demonstrate significant potential in preclinical studies for mitigating AD pathology.
• Gene therapy and nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems present innovative strategies for enhanced AD treatment efficacy.

Conclusions:

• There is an urgent need for new treatments that target the underlying pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
• Plant extracts and advanced gene/drug delivery systems offer promising avenues for developing more effective AD therapies.
• This review provides insights into novel therapeutic mechanisms and drug development for Alzheimer's disease (AD).