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Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

Separating Fact From Fiction

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Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is an ever-increasing health concern among the aging population, and as we research new and existing treatments for this disease we begin to uncover possibilities for its prevention. Observational studies and animal models have provided promising findings and generated excitement, but placebo-controlled clinical trials are required to demonstrate true efficacy for these treatments.

In the past two decades, clinical trials have led to the approval of symptomatic treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, including cholinesterase inhibitors and, more recently, an NMDA receptor antagonist. Clinical trials have also examined antioxidants, NSAIDs, hormone replacement, nutritional supplements and non-pharmacological interventions for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. While the results of many of these trials have been disappointing, new mechanisms targeting the hallmark pathology of Alzheimer’s disease are currently under investigation, including immunotherapy and secretase modulation, targeted at reducing the amyloid burden, for which we await the results. We review the evidence from completed trials, support for ongoing studies and propose directions for future research.

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Acknowledgements

The authors’ work is supported by AG05138, AG10483 and AG15922. Dr Mary Sano has been a consultant to the following companies, which are involved in drug development for Alzheimer’s disease: Aventis, Bayer, Forest, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Ortho-McNeil, Novartis, Pfizer, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Takeda, Voyager Pharmaceuticals, Medication and Neurochem. These consultancies have been in reference to clinical trial design. Dr Hillel Grossman has been a consultant for the following companies, which are involved in drug development for Alzheimer’s disease: Forest Industries and Dainippon America. These consultancies have been in reference to clinical trial design and clinical application. Additionally, Dr Grossman has received research funding from Eisai Pharmaceuticals, Humanetics and Elan. Kathleen van Dyk has no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review.

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  1. The Alzheimer Disease Research Center of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA

    Mary Sano, Hillel Grossman & Kathleen Van Dyk

  2. James J Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA

    Mary Sano, Hillel Grossman & Kathleen Van Dyk

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  1. Mary Sano
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  2. Hillel Grossman
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Correspondence to Mary Sano.

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Sano, M., Grossman, H. & Van Dyk, K. Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease. CNS Drugs 22, 887–902 (2008). https://doi.org/10.2165/00023210-200822110-00001

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