Dementia is a common neuropsychological disorder with an increasing incidence. The most prevalent type of
dementia is
Alzheimer's disease. The underlying pathophysiological features of the
cognitive decline are neurodegenerative processes, a cerebrovascular dysfunction and immunological alterations. The therapeutic approaches are still limited, although intensive research is being conducted with the aim of finding neuroprotective strategies. The widely accepted
cholinesterase inhibitors and
glutamate antagonists did not meet expectations of preventing
disease progression, and research is therefore currently focusing on novel targets. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,
secretase inhibitors and
statins are promising
drug candidates for the prevention and management of different forms of
dementia. The
kynurenine pathway has been associated with various
neurodegenerative disorders and
cerebrovascular diseases. This pathway is also closely related to neuroinflammatory processes and it has been implicated in the pathomechanisms of certain kinds of
dementia. Targeting the
kynurenine system may be of therapeutic value in the future.