Immunity and Inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease: A Narrative Review on Mechanisms and Therapeutic Prospects

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder of the Central Nervous System (CNS), characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition and Neurofibrillary Tangles (NFTs) caused by the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein. Neuroinflammation is an increasingly recognized feature of AD, playing a critical role in disrupting the immune microenvironment within the brain parenchyma. High levels of various inflammatory mediators have been documented in both AD patients and experimental AD models. Similarly, multiple immune cells have been found to accumulate in the brain parenchyma, the meninges, and the choroid plexus. Therefore, antiinflammatory therapies, including Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), and immune regulatory strategies hold promise as potential novel approaches for the prevention and treatment of AD. Currently, a variety of anti-inflammatory agents and immunotherapies have demonstrated efficacy in AD animal models, and several clinical trials of immunotherapeutic interventions have been completed or are underway. This review systematically summarizes the core pathophysiological mechanisms by which inflammatory and immune dysfunctions contribute to AD pathogenesis and explores potential therapeutic interventions targeting these mechanisms, thereby providing theoretical insights for clinical translational research on AD treatment.