Navigating the treatment landscape of Alzheimer's disease: Current strategies and future directions

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease leading to dementia, lacks a single definitive diagnosis. While current medications only manage symptoms, the ideal treatment would restore cognition. Traditional therapies targeting beta-amyloid haven't yielded significant results, while new approaches target tau protein tangles, protein degradation pathways, inflammation, and neurotrophic factor depletion. Autophagy, a cellular degradation and recycling process, has emerged as a crucial hallmark and contributor to the pathogenesis of AD. Notably, autophagy induction has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach, with inducers like celastrol and caudatin promoting the degradation of toxic protein aggregates. Additionally, innovative drug formulations, such as nanoparticles, are being explored for targeted drug delivery. Research is increasingly focusing on neuroinflammation and developing multi-targeted drugs to address various aspects of AD, potentially leading to preventive strategies in the early stages. This review summarizes the current state and emerging trends in AD drug development.