Neuropharmacological perspectives on Alzheimer’s disease
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s disease, Acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors, Neuropharmacological, PharmacotherapeuticAbstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by the progressive loss of nerve cells across various regions of the brain. Pathologically, it is associated with intracellular neurofibrillary tangles and extracellular amyloid protein deposits, which disrupt neural transmission and lead to cognitive decline. Nutrition and lifestyle factors play a crucial role in both the development and prevention of AD. Early diagnosis relies on sensitive biomarkers capable of distinguishing between different causes of dementia. Emerging therapeutic strategies, including the use of induced pluripotent stem cells, show promise in addressing the underlying pathology. The primary hypotheses explaining AD pathogenesis include the cholinergic, tau, and amyloid hypotheses, with additional risk factors such as age, genetics, head trauma, vascular diseases, infections, and environmental influences. Currently approved pharmacotherapies—cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists—alleviate symptoms but do not cure or prevent disease progression. Contemporary research focuses on multiple pathological processes, including tau protein dysregulation, β-amyloid accumulation, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and cholinergic dysfunction, aiming to develop disease-modifying treatments. This review provides a comprehensive neuropharmacological perspective on AD, emphasizing the underlying mechanisms, risk factors, and current and emerging pharmacotherapeutic strategies for its management.
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