Design of inhibitors of amyloid-β misfolding and aggregation for Alzheimer's therapy

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), which afflicts an estimated 16 million people worldwide (Refolo & Fillit, 2004), is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. By 2050, the number of people with AD is expected to triple, placing an enormous burden on the health care and social care systems. This neurodegenerative disorder is characterized clinically by progressive loss of memory, language problems, social withdrawal, and deterioration of executive functions, and eventually culminates in death (Citron, 2002). Most AD cases are sporadic, with multiple risk factors, such as aging, environmental stress, and diet. The remaining AD cases, which account for 5- 10% of total AD cases, are inherited from one generation to the next and are referred to as familial AD (FAD).