To the Editor The development of novel and effective strategies aimed at modifying the course of Alzheimer disease (AD) is urgently needed. In a recent double-blind randomized clinical trial, Howard and colleagues¹ reported that minocycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, failed to provide clinical benefits (as assessed by changes in scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Bristol Activities of Daily Living scale) in a cohort of persons with a diagnosis of early AD. The rationale for the investigation of minocycline stems from preclinical evidence supporting the notion that the drug targets critical determinants of AD-like β-amyloid, hyperphosphorylated tau, and microglia activation and neuroinflammation.

致编辑迫切需要开发旨在改变阿尔茨海默病（AD）病程的新颖有效策略。在最近的一项双盲随机临床试验中，Howard及其同事¹报告说，广谱抗生素米诺环素未能提供临床益处（根据小精神状态检查成绩和布里斯托尔日常生活活动的变化评估）量表）在诊断为早期AD的人群中进行。研究米诺环素的基本原理来自临床前证据，该证据支持以下观点：该药物靶向AD样β淀粉样蛋白，高磷酸化tau以及小胶质细胞活化和神经炎症的关键决定因素。