7.2 – Current Alzheimer’s disease treatments and their limitations
Since Alzheimer’s is extremely difficult to diagnose in the early stages of the disease, patients often present with advanced symptoms. Though there are several current pharmacological treatment options available, most of these drugs focus on treating the symptoms of disease after brain degeneration has already occurred. This chapter will explore several different drugs most commonly prescribed to patients as well as the limitations of these treatment options.
In this chapter, you will learn:
- The targets and mechanism of cholinesterase inhibitors
- The targets and mechanism of N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists
- The targets and mechanisms of selective drugs used to treat the psychological and behavioural symptoms of Alzheimer’s
- The limitations of current Alzheimer’s treatment options