Measuring target effect of proposed disease-modifying therapies in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and is an increasing public health problem. Because of the severity and increasing prevalence of the disease in the population, it is urgent that better treatments be developed. Active research efforts over the past several decades have produced a vast knowledge base regarding AD natural history, pathology, and key biological mediators involved in pathogenesis. As knowledge of the biomolecular mechanisms of AD has increased over the past several decades, there has been a growing consensus on the pathophysiology of the disease. These scientific advancements have led to proposals for disease-modifying therapeutic interventions that promise to significantly alter the course of AD. The translation from preclinical models to human studies requires therapeutic biomarkers to increase the likelihood of success. This review covers the current methods and technologies used in the therapeutic translation of proposed disease-modifying therapies for AD.