Review Calls for Multi-Target Approaches to Treat Complex Alzheimer's Disease

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:52:00 +0200

A new review published in Science China Life Sciences argues that Alzheimer's disease (AD) is far more complex than previously thought, involving interconnected factors beyond just amyloid-beta plaques. Researchers, led by Professor Yan-Jiang Wang, emphasize that single-target therapies like monoclonal antibodies such as lecanemab and donanemab have only shown modest benefits in slowing cognitive decline but fail to reverse the disease. The condition arises from a combination of amyloid-beta buildup, Tau protein tangles, genetic risks including APOE ε4 variants, aging-related changes like mitochondrial decline and cellular senescence, and systemic health issues such as insulin resistance, hypertension, and gut microbiome imbalances. The authors highlight emerging strategies including addressing both amyloid and Tau pathologies, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to modify genetic risks, senolytic therapies to clear aging glial cells, and interventions targeting the gut-brain axis or repurposing