New therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease.

Extract: By undergoing a slight change in shape the normally innocuous peptide, amyloid-beta (A-beta) self-assembles forming aggregates, which are toxic to cells and induce a myriad of changes in the brain. It is now thought that the generation of these toxic species is an initial and necessary step in the pathogenic process underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD). The amyloid cascade hypothesis has led to the rational design of anti-amyloid therapeutics, which holds promise for the treatment and prevention of AD. One therapy, AD vaccination, has received a great deal of attention from both the scientific and lay community, and will be the topic of this discussion. The signs and symptoms of AD are familiar to most: seemingly innocent absent-mindedness, giving way to progressive memory impairment, disordered cognitive function, and altered behavior and language deficits. Ultimately the patient becomes entirely dependent on others for every aspect of daily living, with death typically occurring within 8 to 12 years of diagnosis. These symptoms are characteristic of a number of illnesses termed dementia, of which AD is the most common. Affecting over 12 million people worldwide, the American Alzheimer's Association estimates that $100 billion a year is spent on caring for individuals with AD.