New perspective in the treatment of Alzheimer disease

Abstract

Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is one of the most causes of mental dementia in alderly. It is characterized as a progressive neurodegenerative process associated with severe mental function loss and memory impairments. In the past decades much efforts have been made towards discovering the causes of AD with the hope of developing safe and effective pharmacological treatments. Although there is no present cure for AD, some compounds have emerged to delay the cognitive deterioration. The actual strategy is based on correcting the loss of cholinergic cerebral function with anticholinesterasic drugs. Anti-oxidant agents such as vitamin E and Ginkgo biloba, and strogen replacement therapy in women, have been used as coadjuvant therapies. This article aim to present recent information describing the mainly histopathological and neurochemical changes, as well as the advances in the pharmacotherapy of AD.