There are currently five FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease:
- Donepezil (Aricept) is a cholinesterase inhibitor that helps to increase the levels of acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that is involved in memory, learning, and thinking. Donepezil is approved for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
- Galantamine (Razadyne) is another cholinesterase inhibitor. It is approved for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
- Rivastigmine (Exelon) is a third cholinesterase inhibitor. It is approved for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
- Memantine (Namenda) is a drug that works by regulating the activity of glutamate, a neurotransmitter that is involved in learning and memory. Memantine is approved for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease.
- Aducanumab (Aduhelm) is a monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid beta, a protein that is thought to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Aducanumab is approved for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease.
It is important to note that these drugs do not cure Alzheimer’s disease. They can only help to slow the progression of the disease and improve symptoms. Scientist still have long way to go to defeat the disease. With the cell and gene therapy becoming popular and mature, pharmaceutical industry is hoping to see revolutionary cure to the Alzheimer’s disease.