Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a predominantly cortical neurodegenerative dementia that primarily affects cognitive functions and has consequences on patients' behaviour and social adaptation.

On average, it occurs around the age of 65 years old and currently affects approximately 350,000 people in France. Because of its prevalence (5% of those over 65 years old, 20% of those over 80 years old) and its economic and social burden on society (70% of long-stay hospital beds) it is a major public health problem in all industrialised countries.

Different treatment approaches are being investigated, although the most promising appears to be the amyloid cascade.

One of the key questions for the pharmacology of Alzheimer's disease is the assessment of treatments: measurement criteria, significant of response, design of clinical trials, impact of concomitant medicines etc. Answers are beginning to be found to these questions and are part of an amazing scientific, medical and social adventure that has only just begun.