Deciphering the metabolome in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a multifaceted neurodegenerative disease, stands as the most prevalent form of dementia and one of the leading causes of death in the elderly. An increasing body of evidence underscores the intricate link between AD and metabolic disturbances. Metabolomics research has unveiled dysregulations in various metabolites within the brain and body fluids of individuals with AD, shedding light on the disease's metabolic underpinnings. Furthermore, notable correlations were identified between particular metabolites and AD-associated pathologies, as well as cognitive phenotypes, throughout the course of AD progression. Despite these valuable insights, a holistic understanding of the metabolic basis of AD is still scarce. This review examines recent studies investigating metabolome changes in different types of specimens from AD individuals. We presented a summary of the metabolic signatures of AD and the correlation between metabolites and AD-related traits. We then delineated the various biochemical pathways by which metabolites are involved in AD pathogenesis. We hope that this review will provide a basis for the further development of biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for metabolic disorders in AD.