Alzheimer's disease: Treatment today and tomorrow

Abstract

Background and Aims: The scope of treatment in Alzheimer's Disease has widened in recent times with FDA approval of new drugs. This review looks at established treatments in AD as well as critically analyses the newer drugs available. Methods: Data in this review was gathered from PubMed; Google Scholar and MEDLINE from January-March 2023. Search words used were 'Alzheimer's Disease treatment' and 'Dementia treatment'. Results: Older time tested drugs like Acetyl Choline Receptor Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor antagonists remain the mainstay of pharmacological treatment in AD. Despite a lot of excitement about newer FDA approved drugs; we have to be cautious in their use. Aducanumab showed good reduction in CSF amyloid levels (biomarker of AD); but this did not necessarily translate into better clinical outcomes of patients. Conclusion: Despite the recent advances and approval of drugs in treatment of AD, we have to exhibit caution while prescribing these drugs. Even with a sound mechanism of action, these drugs do not always show improvement in clinical outcomes. More clinical trials are required for development of drugs in treatment of AD which explore various different mechanisms of action.

Keywords

• alzheimer's disease
• advances
• treatment