No abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD), considered the commonest neurodegenerative cause of dementia, is associated with hallmark pathologies including extracellular amyloid-β protein (Aβ) deposition in extracellular senile plaques and vessels, and intraneuronal tau deposition as neurofibrillary tangles. Although AD is usually categorized as neurodegeneration distinct from cerebrovascular disease (CVD), studies have shown strong links between AD and CVD. There is evidence that vascular risk factors and CVD may accelerate Aβ 40-42 production/ aggregation/deposition and contribute to the pathology and symptomatology of AD. Aβ deposited along vessels also causes cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Amyloid imaging allows in vivo detection of AD pathology, opening the way for prevention and early treatment, if disease-modifying therapies in the pipeline show safety and efficacy. In this review, we review the role of vascular factors and Aβ, underlining that vascular risk factor management may be important for AD prevention and treatment.

No abstract

Among the atypical antipsychotics, clozapine appears to have a simultaneous and equivalent occupancy of dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors. Whether its effect on D(1) receptors represents agonism or antagonism is not yet clear, as this issue is still unresolved in the preclinical arena. This distinctive effect on D(1)/D(2) receptors may be responsible for clozapine's unique effectiveness in patients with schizophrenia refractory to other typical and atypical antipsychotics.