Manzano-Palomo_2006_Rev.Neurol_42_350

AIM: To review the current state of the art in neurotransmission in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its involvement in the pathophysiology of the disease. INTRODUCTION: AD is a neurodegenerative disorder that is estimated to affect 15 million people around the world. Since the cholinergic hypothesis of AD was put forward 20 years ago, numerous studies have been conducted in an attempt to determine the role that neurotransmitters play in AD. Among other things, this has made it possible to develop drugs based on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. DEVELOPMENT: The monoaminergic neurotransmission systems are examined, with special attention given to the cholinergic system, and their anatomical distribution, function, receptors, activity and degradation systems are also described. Peptidergic neurotransmission systems are only briefly discussed, since they are not the main objective of this report. We also review the cholinergic hypothesis and the possible interrelations between cholinergic neurotransmission and beta-amyloid metabolism, as well as the potential involvement of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drugs in more fundamental pathophysiological mechanisms, which act with a neuroprotective component.