Alzheimer's disease: amyloid-based pathogenesis and potential therapies

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most severe neurodegenerative diseases among elderly people. Different pathogenic factors for Alzheimer's disease have been posited and studied in recent decades, but no effective treatment has been found, necessitating further studies. In this Viewpoint article, we assess studies on the mechanisms underlying the accumulation of amyloid beta (A beta) peptide and the formation of A beta oligomers because their accumulation in amyloid plaques in brain tissue has become a well-studied hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. We focus on the production of A beta and its impact on the function of synapses and neural circuits, and also discuss the clinical prospects for amyloid-targeted therapies.