Pharmacological approaches for Alzheimer's disease: neurotransmitter as drug targets

Expert Rev Neurother. 2015 Jan;15(1):53-71. doi: 10.1586/14737175.2015.988709. Epub 2014 Dec 12.

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common CNS disorder occurring worldwide. There is neither proven effective prevention for AD nor a cure for patients with this disorder. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop safer and more efficacious drugs to help combat the tremendous increase in disease progression. The present review is an attempt at discussing the treatment strategies and drugs under clinical trials governing the modulation of neurotransmitter. Therefore, looking at neurotransmitter abnormalities, there is an urge for developing the pharmacological approaches aimed at correcting those abnormalities and dysfunctioning. In addition, this review also discusses the drugs that are in Phase III trials for the treatment of AD. Despite advances in treatment strategies aimed at correcting neurotransmitter abnormalities, there exists a need for the development of drug therapies focusing on the attempts to remove the pathogenomic protein deposits, thus combating the disease progression.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; neurotransmitter; neurotransmitter dysfunction; pharmacological approaches.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / drug effects*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
  • Disease Progression
  • Humans
  • Neurotransmitter Agents / metabolism*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Neurotransmitter Agents