Cerebrolysin in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Cerebrolysin is a neuropeptide preparation mimicking the action of endogenous neurotrophic factors. Positive effects of Cerebrolysin on β-amyloid- and tau-related pathologies, neuroinflammation, neurotrophic factors, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, neurotransmission, brain metabolism, neuroplasticity, neuronal apoptosis and degeneration, neurogenesis and cognition were demonstrated in experimental conditions. These pleiotropic effects of Cerebrolysin on Alzheimer's disease-related pathogenic events are consistent with a neurotrophic-like mode of action, and seems to involve the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3 β intracellular signaling pathway. The clinical efficacy of Cerebrolysin in Alzheimer's disease was evaluated in several randomized, double-blind, clinical trials, showing consistent benefits on global clinical function and cognition, improvements in behavior at high doses, and minor effects on daily living activities in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, as well as in subgroups of moderate to moderately severe patients. In addition, the clinical benefits of Cerebrolysin were largely maintained for several months after ending treatment, a finding that supports its discontinuous administration. Cerebrolysin was generally well tolerated and did not induce significant adverse events in Alzheimer's patients. Although long-term studies are needed, the data available suggest that Cerebrolysin is effective as monotherapy and constitutes a promising option for combined therapy in Alzheimer's disease.