Abstract

Mahak Shukla*, Sonam Vishwakarma, Arpit Jain, Pooja Lodhi, Rupesh Kumar Jain

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common cause of dementia and is characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment. It mainly affects elderly individuals and accounts for nearly 60–70% of dementia cases worldwide. The disease is associated with neuronal degeneration, especially in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. The major pathological hallmarks include extracellular amyloid-β plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Clinical symptoms include memory loss, impaired reasoning, confusion, behavioral changes, and reduced ability to perform daily activities. Age is considered the strongest risk factor, while genetics, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and lifestyle factors also contribute to disease progression.[1] Oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation further aggravate neuronal damage. Diagnosis involves cognitive assessment, neuroimaging techniques such as MRI and PET scans, and biomarker analysis. Current pharmacological therapies include cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists, which mainly provide symptomatic relief.[2] Recent research focuses on nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems and disease-modifying therapies for improved brain targeting and therapeutic efficacy. Early diagnosis and preventive lifestyle modifications may help delay disease progression and improve patient quality of life.[3]