The Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder most commonly found in elderly people, which imposes a massive burden on both the families and the society. It is not only one of the most serious health issue facing the mankind, but also a major social problem restricting the sustainable development of the social economy in the 21st century. Unfortunately, there is no reliable method to treat or even to delay the process due to the unknown pathogenesis of the AD. Therefore, to precisely elucidate the mechanisms of the AD and thereby to find a way of treating the disease is a hot topic in the AD research field. This paper reviews representative studies of the AD mechanisms related to the cholinergic system, the Aβ cascade hypothesis, the immune inflammation, the excitatory toxicity and the glucolipid metabolism, as well as recent studies by using novel techniques including the optogenetics, the cryo-electron microscopy imaging, the photo- and magnetic stimulation, and the ultrasonic drug delivery. It is suggested that we should pay attention to other interdisciplinary fields, such as the advanced imaging/detection technology, the accurate diagnosis and prevention, and the wearable physical therapy instrument.

Alzheimer's disease  /  ageing  /  acetylcholine hypothesis  /  β-amyloid hypothesis  /  immune inflammation  /  excitatory toxicity