Progress in Alzheimer's disease.

After more than one century from Alois Alzheimer and Gaetano Perusini's first report, progress has been made in understanding the pathogenic steps of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as well as in its early diagnosis. This review discusses recent findings leading to the formulation of novel criteria for diagnosis of the disease even in a preclinical phase, by using biological markers. In addition, treatment options will be discussed, with emphasis on new disease-modifying compounds and future trial design suitable to test these drugs in an early phase of the disease.