[Aging, β-amyloid, Alzheimer's - Opinion]

Abstract

For over 100 years, medicine has not developed an effective method for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite countless studies, successes have been rather modest. This situation requires a new approach. In the current article, the authors attempt to outline and propose, based on literature and their own research results, the directions of such an approach. We begin with the observation that the strongest risk factor for AD is the aging process of the body, organs, and cells. According to the Informational Theory of Aging, the process of amyloidogenesis, must be the result of earlier molecular events leading to epigenetic chaos. However, the use of anti-amyloid antibodies has shown some moderate successes. Economic considerations suggest, that use of antibodies will not solve the problem on a population-wide scale due to the very high cost. Therefore, small molecule inhibitors of amyloidogenesis are promising molecules for stopping AD dementia processes.