New Aspects of Therapeutic Management in Alzheimer`s Disease

Alzheimer`s Disease (AD) is a disease carrying a huge negative effect upon both patients and their families, and also on society in terms of health services. New symptomatic and disease modifying therapies will be described in the following pages, many of these therapeutic approaches being directed towards modifying the amyloid cascade, and others aiming tau pathology, inflammation, oxidative stress and neurogenesis. Because AD is a multi-factorial neurodegenerative disease, combined treatment to target multiple pathological mechanisms, currently under investigation, will be discussed.

Nowadays research focuses on the possibility of developing prevention studies. Research results acknowledge the positive effects of adopting a healthy lifestyle, better control of cardiovascular risk factors, supplementation with vitamins, antioxidants, maintaining physical and mental activity, active involvement in social and professional activities can help reduce the occurrence of Alzheimer`s disease. Multiple therapy, targeting multiple disease aspects may have the greatest therapeutic potential. Developing new therapeutic strategies either to prevent or slow down the disease onset and progression will obviously have a profound effect on the lives of millions of people.

Keywords: Alzheimer`s disease, cholinergic system, dementia, herbal medicine, immunotherapy, oxidative stress, secretase-targeting therapies, targeting tau.