Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and is identified as the most common cause for dementia. Despite huge global economic burden and the impact on the close family of the patients, there is no definitive cure and thus, improved treatment methods are of need. While memory and cognition are severely affected in AD, exact etiology is yet unknown. The β-Amyloid plaque formation and aggregation hypothesis is among the well-known hypotheses used to explain disease pathogenesis. Currently there are five Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs as treatment options. All these drugs are used for symptomatic treatment of AD. Thus, disease modifying therapies which can directly address the pathological changes in AD, are needed. Such therapies could be designed based on inhibiting key steps of pathogenesis. Currently there are novel AD drug candidates with various therapeutic mechanisms, undergoing different stages of drug development. Extensive research is being done globally to broaden understanding of the exact mechanisms involved in AD and to develop therapeutic agents that can successfully hinder the occurrence and progression of the disease. In this review, a comprehensive approach to understanding AD and suggestions to be considered in the development of therapeutics for it are presented.

阿尔茨海默氏病（AD）是一种神经退行性疾病，被确定为痴呆症的最常见原因。尽管全球经济负担沉重，并且对患者的近亲家庭产生了影响，但尚无确切的治疗方法，因此需要改进的治疗方法。虽然记忆和认知在AD中受到严重影响，但确切的病因仍未知。β-淀粉样蛋白斑形成和聚集假说是用于解释疾病发病机理的众所周知假说。当前有五种获得美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）批准的药物作为治疗选择。所有这些药物都用于对症治疗。因此，需要可以直接解决AD的病理变化的疾病改良疗法。可以基于抑制发病机理的关键步骤来设计此类疗法。当前，具有各种治疗机制的新型AD候选药物经历了药物开发的不同阶段。全球范围内正在进行广泛的研究，以拓宽对AD涉及的确切机制的了解，并开发出可以成功地阻止疾病发生和发展的治疗剂。在这篇综述中，提出了一种理解AD的综合方法以及在其开发疗法中应考虑的建议。