Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Behavioral Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2024 Oct;165:105831. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105831. Epub 2024 Jul 27.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a severe and progressive neurodegenerative condition that exerts detrimental effects on brain function. As of now, there is no effective treatment for AD patients. This review explores two distinct avenues of research. The first revolves around the use of animal studies and preclinical models to gain insights into AD's underlying mechanisms and potential treatment strategies. Specifically, it delves into the effectiveness of interventions such as Optogenetics and Chemogenetics, shedding light on their implications for understanding pathophysiological mechanisms and potential therapeutic applications. The second avenue focuses on non-invasive brain stimulation (NiBS) techniques in the context of AD. Evidence suggests that NiBS can successfully modulate cognitive functions associated with various neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, including AD, as demonstrated by promising findings. Here, we critically assessed recent findings in AD research belonging to these lines of research and discuss their potential impact on the clinical horizon of AD treatment. These multifaceted approaches offer hope for advancing our comprehension of AD pathology and developing novel therapeutic interventions.
阿尔茨海默病（AD）是一种严重且进行性的神经退行性疾病，对大脑功能有不良影响。目前，AD 患者尚无有效的治疗方法。本综述探讨了两条截然不同的研究途径。第一条途径是利用动物研究和临床前模型来深入了解 AD 的潜在机制和潜在治疗策略。具体而言，它探讨了光遗传学和化学生物学等干预措施的有效性，阐明了它们对理解病理生理学机制和潜在治疗应用的意义。第二条途径侧重于 AD 中非侵入性脑刺激（NiBS）技术。有证据表明，NiBS 可以成功调节与各种神经和神经精神疾病相关的认知功能，包括 AD，这一点已被有希望的发现所证明。在这里，我们批判性地评估了属于这两条研究途径的 AD 研究的最新发现，并讨论了它们对 AD 治疗临床前景的潜在影响。这些多方面的方法为我们深入了解 AD 病理学和开发新的治疗干预措施提供了希望。
