A review.Cholinergic treatment hypothesis, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and glutamatergic system, neurotrophin-enhancing drugs, as well as stress, glucocorticoids and AD are presented.Anti-inflammatory therapy in AD, neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid deposition, free radicals and neurotoxicity, amyloid deposition, apolipoprotein E, and free radicals, and acetylcholine, amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects are described as well.