Pharmacotheraphy for Alzheimer's disease.

In the past 2 years, substantive advances in therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have occurred. The nature of the effects of cholinesterase inhibitors has been refined with the publication of several studies that have examined different aspects of the symptomatology of AD. Breakthroughs in the basic science of Alzheimer's disease have led to new insights into potential therapeutic strategies targeted at the secretases involved in the metabolism of the Alzheimer precursor protein. An immunization approach, in which the beta-amyloid protein itself was used as the immunizing agent, has also been presented and independently validated. Other areas of investigation with disappointing results, such as estrogen replacement therapy, anti-inflammatory approaches, and several other therapeutic agents, are also reviewed.