Nuevas alternativas para el tratamiento de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Potencialidad de los factores neurotróficos

To date, although several risks factors have been defined to be involved in the develpment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the elderly. Its cause remains unknows. Because of this, the treatment of patients afffected by AD has been limited to a small group of drugs whose effects are usually observed at early stages of the clinical deterioration. Nevertheless, none of these drugs have impact in the evolution of the disease, as they cannot delay or control the massive neuronal loss due to the accumulation of neuritic plaques and tangles in the brain. These structures represent dense accumulations of polymers constituted by β amiloid and tau, respectively. In the present work, we reviewed the different pharmacological treatments available to AD patients, including those inhibiting the Acetyl-colinestases, and hormones. The potential effects of some neuroprophic factors are also described. In particular, we emphasize in the use of cerebrolysin, which is composed by a mixture of brain peptides, which has been successfully used in Europe and Asia in the treatment of mild and severe AD cases. Cerebrolisin has proved effects on the evolution of AD and therefore a promising alternative for the the treatment of such a disease. This review also includes a brief description of the bulk of scientifical data based upon in vivo studies evidencing the molecular mechanisms of cerebrolysin effects.