Miller S W, Mahoney J M, Jann M W
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341.
Pharmacotherapy. 1992;12(3):217-31.
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common type of primary degenerative dementia, is the leading cause of cognitive impairment in the geriatric population. It is a devastating illness, both to the patients and the families involved. Although much research continues to be conducted, the etiology and effective treatment for the disease remain to be found. One of the primary hypotheses of the disease is that the cognitive decline of AD involves the loss of related cholinergic neurons. Although the cholinergic theory is still valid, efforts aimed at increasing levels of acetylcholine have yielded disappointing results. Currently, in the United States, several drugs are in various stages of development for the treatment of AD. The mechanisms of these agents include cerebral protectants, enhancers of neuronal signal amplification, tonic stimulation, and nerve growth factors. Other avenues being investigated include the development of novel drug delivery systems to enhance CNS concentrations of therapeutic agents.
阿尔茨海默病（AD）是最常见的原发性退行性痴呆类型，是老年人群认知障碍的主要原因。它是一种毁灭性的疾病，对患者及其家属都是如此。尽管仍在进行大量研究，但该疾病的病因和有效治疗方法仍有待发现。该疾病的主要假说之一是，AD的认知衰退涉及相关胆碱能神经元的丧失。尽管胆碱能理论仍然有效，但旨在提高乙酰胆碱水平的努力却产生了令人失望的结果。目前在美国，有几种药物正处于治疗AD的不同研发阶段。这些药物的作用机制包括脑保护剂、神经元信号放大增强剂、强直性刺激剂和神经生长因子。正在研究的其他途径包括开发新型药物递送系统，以提高治疗药物在中枢神经系统中的浓度。
