Symptomatic and nonamyloid/tau based pharmacologic treatment for Alzheimer disease

Abstract

In this work we consider marketed drugs for Alzheimer disease (AD) including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChE-Is) and antiglutamatergic treatment involving the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. We discuss medications and substances available for use as cognitive enhancers that are not approved for AD or cognitive impairment, and other neurotransmitter-related therapies in development or currently being researched. We also review putative therapies that aim to slow disease progression by mechanisms not directly related to amyloid or tau. © 2012 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.