Alzheimer's disease -: diagnostic and therapeutic approaches

Alzheimer's disease is a frequent, progressive neuro-degenerative disease affecting people at older age. It h as an enormous impact on socio-economic costs and therefore an early diagnosis and therapy of the disease are crucial. Besides a number of promising findings of biological and neuroimaging markers a carefully taken medical history and an extensive neuropsychological testing are still essential tiol for diagnosis. Therapeutic options include symptomatic strategies for memory enhancement as by means of the gold standard of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, alpha-tocopherole and memontine. Pharmacological and supportive therapy of behavioural symptoms like agitation, insomnia, depression and psychosis is decisive regarding onset and course of hospitalisation.