http://www.mdpi.com/journal/pharmaceuticals/special_issues/alzheimer-drugs/ Dear Colleagues, One of the main purpose of Alzheimer disease treatment is to improve cognitive abilities- such as memory and thinking and also slow progression of the disease. Despite many promising research current treatments cannot cure or halt the disease, but can offer some people modest improvement in some symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease drugs are coming from 2 main categories: drugs to treat cognitive symptoms and drugs to treat specific behavioral disturbances that do not respond to non-pharmacological behavioral-management approaches. Prevention treatment are also of some importance. Research into Alzheimer’s is focused on different possible treatments such as increasing the efficiency of the damaged nerve cells, preventing production and inhibiting the build-up of beta amyloid proteins, protecting nerve cells from the damaging effects of hydrogen peroxide. If cholinestérase inhibitors are the first drugs developped, recent progress have highlited other drugs with different targets such as amyloid plaques or neurofibrillary tangles. Alzheimer’s vaccine, secretase modulators, anti-inflammatory drugs or even some antibiotics have been tested and seem to interfere with the development of amyloid plaques in the brain. Countless new treatments are in development, so more options will be available in the near future. The purpose of this special issue is to assess the current status of AD drugs and perspective of new treatment stratégies through comprehensive reviews or original research datas. Prof. Dr. Pierre Vandel Guest Editor Submission Information All papers should be submitted to pharmaceuticals@mdpi.com. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at the special issue website. Submitted papers should not have been published nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. All papers are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is a new international, peer-reviewed, quarterly open access journal published by MDPI. Submission Information All papers should be submitted to pharmaceuticals@mdpi.com. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at the special issue website. Submitted papers should not have been published nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. All papers are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is a new international, peer-reviewed, quarterly open access journal published by MDPI. Article Processing Charges (APC) for publication in this open access journal are waived for well-prepared manuscripts submitted by 30 June 2010. English correction or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those paper accepted for publication, that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/3/10/3040/ About 80% of functional genes in the human genome are expressed in the brain and over 1,200 different genes have been associated with the pathogenesis of CNS disorders and dementia. Pharmacogenetic studies of psychotropic drug response have focused on determining the relationship between variations in specific candidate genes and the positive and adverse effects of drug treatment. Approximately, 18% of neuroleptics are substrates of CYP1A2 enzymes, 40% of CYP2D6, and 23% of CYP3A4; 24% of antidepressants are substrates of CYP1A2 enzymes, 5% of CYP2B6, 38% of CYP2C19, 85% of CYP2D6, and 38% of CYP3A4; 7% of benzodiazepines are substrates of CYP2C19 enzymes, 20% of CYP2D6, and 95% of CYP3A4. 10-20% of Western populations are defective in genes of the CYP superfamily; and the pharmacogenomic response of psychotropic drugs also depends on genetic variants associated with dementia. Prospective studies with anti-dementia drugs or with multifactorial strategies have revealed that the therapeutic response to conventional drugs in Alzheimer’s disease is genotype-specific. The disease-modifying effects (cognitive performance, biomarker modification) of therapeutic intervention are APOE-dependent, with APOE-4 carriers acting as the worst responders (APOE-3/3 > APOE-3/4 > APOE-4/4). APOE-CYP2D6 interactions also influence the therapeutic outcome in patients with dementia. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/3/10/3040/ Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:00:00 CEST Pharmaceuticals 2010-09-29 3 10 Review 3040 3100 1424-8247 Future Trends in the Pharmacogenomics of Brain Disorders and Dementia: Influence of APOE and CYP2D6 Variants 2010-09-29 doi: 10.3390/ph3103040 Ramón Cacabelos Lucía Fernández-Novoa Rocío Martínez-Bouza Adam McKay Juan C. Carril Valter Lombardi Lola Corzo Iván Carrera Iván Tellado Laura Nebril Margarita Alcaraz Susana Rodríguez Ángela Casas Verónica Couceiro Antón Álvarez http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/3/8/2387/ Behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) are now known to be frequently associated to cognitive and functional decline in Alzheimer‘s disease and related disorders. They are present since the early stages of the disease and have negative impact on the disease process. BPSD assessment is crucial in clinical practice and also in future clinical trials targeting disease-modifying therapies for dementia. In this article, we will first review current assessment tools for BPSD, mainly global and domain-specific scales, and new assessment methods, currently available or in development, including new scales, diagnostic criteria and new technologies such as ambulatory actigraphy. http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/3/8/2387/ Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 CEST Pharmaceuticals 2010-07-26 3 8 Article 2387 2397 1424-8247 Measurement of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Clinical Trials Targeting Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders 2010-07-26 doi: 10.3390/ph3082387 Renaud David Emmanuel Mulin Patrick Mallea Philippe H. Robert