Amyloid inhibitors and Alzheimer's disease.

Neuritic plaques composed of amyloid beta-protein (A beta) are an early and invariant neuropathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The current preclinical search for drugs is mainly focused on decreasing A beta production by inhibiting beta- or gamma-secretase, blocking the formation of these plaques by preventing A beta protofibril and fibril formation, and alleviating the toxic effects of neuritic plaque deposition. Increasing numbers of drugs currently used as therapies for other diseases are now entering clinical trials for AD, but the molecular targets of these drugs and their relevance to A beta toxicity needs to be thoroughly addressed. This knowledge will allow us to fully understand the A beta-related pathways in AD pathogenesis and explore novel therapeutic interventions.