Disease-modifying treatments in Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains the leading worldwide cause of dementia. Availability of effective disease-modifying treatments is limited and the only licensed medications in more general use remain symptomatic treatments such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. However, new pharmacological interventions are being explored, based on an understanding of the characteristic pathological processes in AD which are characterised by extracellular deposition of beta-amyloid plaques, development of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles made of phosphorylated tau and progressive neuronal loss. In particular, it is hypothesised that amyloid-targeting therapies may reduce amyloid deposition and hence slow or even stop cognitive decline in AD. In this month’s journal club, we have reviewed randomised clinical trials exploring the use of three of these agents in early AD, two of which (Aducanumab and Lecanemab) have already received approval via the accelerated approval pathway for the treatment of AD from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Topics & Concepts