Current and future therapy in Alzheimer's disease.
Dementia is increasingly being recognized as one of the most important medical problems in the elderly. As most pharmacological research within the field of dementia is focused on Alzheimer's dementia (AD), this review will focus on pharmacological interventions in AD. Most disease-modifying therapies are based on the amyloid hypothesis. In this hypothesis, the pathological accumulation of Abeta in the brain leads to oxidative stress, neuronal destruction and finally the clinical syndrome of AD. Following this hypothesis, secondary prevention of AD can be made by: decreasing the production of Abeta, stimulation of clearance of Abeta formed or prevention of aggregation of Abeta into amyloid plaques. First a short overview on current approved therapies for AD is given. The main part of the review will focus on potential disease-modifying therapies for AD that are currently being studied in phase I to phase III trials.
van Marum
Robert J
RJ
Geriatric Department, B05.256, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 855000, 3500 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. r.j.vanmarum@umcutrecht.nl
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D000682:Amyloid / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008559:Memantine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000682:Amyloid; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; C010119:latrepirdine; D008559:Memantine