An Overview of Etiology, Pathophysiology, and Promising Herbal Remedy for Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive brain disease that gradually reduces a person’s ability to think clearly, remember things, and even carry out simple cognitive tasks. It is the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. Although the exact cause is still unknown, genetic factors account for 5 to 10% of instances having a family origin. The damage leads to significant degeneration of the afflicted areas, resulting in memory loss, impaired capacity to acquire new knowledge, fluctuations in mood, difficulties in cognitive functioning, and an inability to do basic everyday tasks. However, it is still commonly acknowledged as the primary reason of dementia worldwide. The two chief pathological landscapes of AD are the build-up of substances outside the cells and the formation of twisted fibers within the cells, known as neurofibrillary tangles. Accumulation of Aβ amyloid (Aβ) initiates neurodegeneration, leading to the development of clinical dementia, which is a defining feature of AD.