[One hundred years of Alzheimer's disease: immunotherapy a hope?].
In 1906 Alois Alzheimer, described the cerebral lesions characteristic of the disorder that received his name: senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is now, 100 years after, the most prevalent form of dementia in the world. The longer life expectancy and aging of the population renders it as a serious public health problem of the future. Urgent methods of diagnosis and treatment are required, since the definitive diagnosis of AD continues to be neuropathologic. In the last 30 years several drugs have been approved to retard the progression of the disease; however, there are still no curative or preventive treatments. Although still in experimentation, the visualization of amyloid deposition by positron emission tomography or magnetic resonance imaging will allow in vivo diagnosis of AD. In addition, experiments with the amyloid vaccine are still ongoing, and very recent data suggest that intravenous gammaglobulins may be beneficial and safe for the treatment of AD.
Behrens P
María Isabel
MI
Departamento de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Hospital Clínico, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. mbehrens@redclinicauchile.cl
Vergara E
Fernando
F
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D023582:Alzheimer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology
D023582:Alzheimer Vaccines; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D016875:tau Proteins