NMDA Inhibitors: A Potential Contrivance to Assist in Management of Alzheimer Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer disease (AD) is an increasingly common neurodegenerative disease, and therefore researchers and medical community are devoting a key attention in searching new, safer and more effective drugs than the currently available ones. Currently available drugs are not an effective treatment to the disease, they only slow the AD progression and act in symptoms relief, despite being linked to moderate-to-severe side effects. N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors antagonists and cholinesterase inhibitors, and combination therapy, are the most often used therapeutic regimens in AD patients. In particular, NMDA receptors have being target of an increasing attention while good therapeutic targets for several neurodegenerative diseases, including AD, due to their ability to block the glutamate-mediated excitotoxic activity. Based on data obtained so far, this review provides an overview on the use of NMDA antagonists for AD treatment, starting with a key emphasis on present features and future aspects on the use of NMDA antagonists for AD, and lastly a key focus is also given on its use for precision medicine.