Therapeutic advances in Alzheimer’s disease: Current strategies and future possibilities

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing memory, cognitive, and behavioral impairments in older adults and poses a major worldwide health challenge. The pathophysiology of AD is highly complex and multifactorial, arising from interrelated processes such as amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation, tau hyperphosphorylation, synaptic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial impairment, and oxidative stress. In addition, both genetic predisposition and environmental or lifestyle factors play critical roles in disease susceptibility and progression. Despite decades of investigation, therapeutic options with robust disease-modifying potential remain limited. Based on published studies from 2021 to 2025, current treatments primarily focus on symptomatic management with cholinesterase inhibitors, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, and combined therapies, complemented by nonpharmacological interventions to support cognition and quality of life. Recently, advances in disease-modifying strategies, particularly monoclonal antibodies targeting Aβ, tau-directed therapies, and approaches modulating neuroinflammation, have generated cautious optimism for shifting the treatment paradigm. Importantly, emerging evidence suggests that specific herbal extracts with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties may serve as promising adjuncts to conventional therapy. Effective long-term management of AD may ultimately require multimodal strategies that integrate pharmacological, herbal, and lifestyle interventions with precision medicine approaches guided by biomarkers and neuroimaging. This minireview summarizes current therapeutic strategies, emerging advances, and persistent challenges, while highlighting future directions to enable earlier intervention and more effective modulation of disease progression.