The analysis of whether CRISPR-Cas9 is the way forward for Alzheimers disease treatment

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurological condition which according to WHO affects more than 55 million individuals globally and is the leading cause of dementia and thereby poses a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide. AD progresses through stages of mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia and is characterised by the accumulation of extracellular amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles concentrated with tau proteins in neocortical structures and the temporal lobe. Gene-editing technology such as the most prevalent CRISPR-Cas9 provides prospects for the treatment of AD by enabling precise modifications of the genetic mutations associated with the disease. This review explores the potential of CRISPR-Cas9 to revolutionise treatment by targeting and rectifying mutated genes but also examines the current state of Alzheimers treatment. This paper examines recent advancements in preclinical studies and highlights the successes in reducing amyloid-beta plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles, the pathological features of AD. By evaluating current CRISPR-Cas9 research and other treatments for AD, I aim to provide insight into its potential as a transformative gene therapy approach whilst evaluating its limitations.