The iron-energy metabolism axis in Alzheimer's pathogenesis: from mechanisms to interventions

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with a complex, multifactorial pathogenesis. Growing evidence implicates disturbances in cellular energy metabolism and iron dyshomeostasis as interlinked contributors to pathology. Within this framework, iron accumulation may act as an upstream regulator in certain contexts and stages, while in others it emerges downstream and amplifies ongoing injury. As iron is an essential cofactor for mitochondrial respiration and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, iron imbalance can compromise ATP production and disrupt glucose metabolism, exacerbating neuronal energy deficits. The interplay among iron accumulation, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation can create vicious cycles that reprogram cellular metabolism and disrupt the critical metabolic coupling between neurons and glial cells. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding the iron-energy metabolism axis in AD, delineates mechanisms by which iron imbalance precipitates mitochondrial dysfunction and glucose metabolic impairments, and evaluates how these deficits synergize with neuroinflammation and proteinopathy across disease stages. Finally, we appraise emerging therapeutic strategies targeting iron overload and metabolic pathways, discuss their stage-dependent risks and benefits, and outline the need for biomarker-guided approaches to optimize patient selection and treatment timing.