A Multipronged Assault

A new understanding of Alzheimer's is leading to a variety of new treatment approaches

- By Esther Landhuis | Graphics by Now Medical Studios and Jen Christiansen

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE HAS PROVED to be a tricky target, and researchers and drug developers have been pursuing effective treatments for decades. Debates rage over the disorder’s underlying causes, and various approaches have faced one hurdle after another. But the field has reached a turning point. Over the past four years the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved several therapies that address some of the condition’s potential biological roots rather than merely mitigating symptoms—a key scientific milestone. Despite the advances, however, there is still a long list of open questions and so much work to be done.