Dementia is a major concern in our aging society. Alzheimer’s
Disease (AD) is the most popular form of dementia. Currently, there is only a
handful of treatments for AD and they can, at best, only slow down the progress
of the disease.
The main problem of AD is that its origins are unknown and current
research only focus on the dysfunction of the neuron. Thus, it is necessary to
re-evaluate the current evidence on AD and deduce what are the likely origins
of this disease and especially its relation to the Aging process: The biggest
risk factor for AD.
In this presentation, the progress of AD, its association to Aging
will be outlined. Next, the potential intervention at different stages of the
disease process will be discussed. Of clear importance is the use of biomaterials
for advanced therapy. The need of biomaterials which are theragnostic is
paramount. The use of biomaterials for imaging (i.e. identifying the
area of the cerebral vasculature where the lesions are located) and drug
delivery- i.e. targeting the keys receptors over expressed in these areas
(e.g. RAGE, VCAM) and releasing anti-inflammatory a pro wound healing compounds
– will be discussed.
