Adult Neurogenesis, Neural Stem Cells and Alzheimer's Disease: Developments, Limitations, Problems and Promises

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible progressive neurodegenerative disease, leading to severe incapacity and death. It is the most common form of dementia among older people. AD is characterized in the brain by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, neuronal degeneration, aneuploidy and enhanced neurogenesis and by cognitive, behavioural and physical impairments. Inherited mutations in several genes and genetic, acquired and environmental risk factors have been reported as causes for developing the disease, for which there is currently no cure. Current treatments for AD involve drugs and occupational therapy, and future developments involve early diagnosis and stem cell therapy. In this manuscript, we will review and discuss the recent developments, limitations, problems and promises on AD, particularly related to aneuploidy, adult neurogenesis, neural stem cells (NSCs) and cellular therapy. Though adult neurogenesis may be beneficial for regeneration of the nervous system, it may underlie the pathogenesis of AD. Cellular therapy is a promising strategy for AD. Limitations in protocols to establish homogeneous populations of neural progenitor and stem cells and niches for neurogenesis need to be resolved and unlocked, for the full potential of adult NSCs to be realized for therapy.