摘要
Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is the most common causes of dementia in the elderly.Currently,only two classes of drugs,acetylcholinesterase inhibitors(AChEIs)and memantine are approved.AChEIs ameliorate cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in AD patients through activation of acetylcholine(ACh)receptors by increased synaptic ACh levels and also have protective effects against glutamate neurotoxicity and inflammation,whereas memantine appears to mainly protect against excitotoxicity and neurodegeneration.Herein,we review the pharmacologic properties of the available AChEIs and memantine,and focus on recent progress in the mechanisms of AD in relation to acetylcholinergic and glutamatergic involvement.
基金
the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China(2011CB510000)
the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81271428,81471292,and 81430021)
a grant supported by assisting research project of science and technology for Xinjiang(201591160).