Dementia Japan 26:1-6, 2012

The development of preventives and therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease that inhibits the β-amyloid aggregation

Kenjiro Ono, Masahito Yamada

Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the cerebral deposition of fibrils formed by the amyloid β-protein (Aβ).  The Aβ aggregation into neurotoxic oligomeric, protofibrillar, and fibrillar assemblies is hypothesized to be the key pathologic event in AD.  Recently, various compounds such as curcumin and wine-related polyphenols have been reported to inhibit Aβ aggregation in vitro.  In transgenic mice model study, some compounds such as curcumin and wine-related polyphenols have also been reported to reduce plaque burden in vivo.  Although initial trials of some anti-aggregation agents have failed, they could be key molecules for the development of preventives and therapeutics for AD.

Address correspondence to Dr. Kenjiro Ono, Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science (13-1 Takara-Machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan)