Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and accounts for most cases of dementia. The prevalence of AD has increased in the current rapidly aging society and contributes to a heavy burden on families and society. Despite the profound impact of AD, current treatments are unable to achieve satisfactory therapeutic effects or stop the progression of the disease. Finding novel treatments for AD has become urgent. In this paper, we reviewed novel therapeutic approaches in five categories: anti-amyloid therapy, anti-tau therapy, anti-neuroinflammatory therapy, neuroprotective agents including N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor modulators, and brain stimulation. The trend of therapeutic development is shifting from a single pathological target to a more complex mechanism, such as the neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. While drug repositioning may accelerate pharmacological development, non-pharmacological interventions, especially repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), also have the potential for clinical application. In the future, it is possible for physicians to choose appropriate interventions individually on the basis of precision medicine.

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a common indication for liver transplantation (LT). Alcohol relapse after LT is associated with graft loss and worse prognosis. Over the past 20 years, the number and prevalence of living donor liver transplantations (LDLTs) have increased in Taiwan. The aims of this retrospective study are to analyze the incidence and risk factors of alcohol relapse after LT at a single center in Taiwan. A total of 98 patients with ALD who underwent LT from January 2012 to December 2018 were retrospectively evaluated by chart review. Pre-transplant characteristics as well as psychosocial and alcoholic history were used to test the possible associations among the risk factors studied and post-LT alcohol relapse. The incidence of post-LT alcohol relapse was 16.3%. The median duration of alcohol relapse after liver transplantation was 28.1 months (range: 1–89.4 months). The cumulative incidence was 12% and 19% at 1 year and 3 years after LT, respectively. The most powerful risk factors were a pre-LT abstinence period less than 6 months and younger age of starting alcohol. For predicting alcohol relapse, the accuracy rate of abstinence less than 6 months was up to 83.7%. In summary, pre-abstinence period plays a role in predicting post-LT alcohol relapse. Post-LT interventions should be considered specifically for the patients with short abstinence period. Long-term follow-up, patient-centered counseling, and enhancement of healthy lifestyle are suggested to prevent alcohol relapse.

Liver transplantation (LT) is an essential treatment for end-stage alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The patients’ psychosocial condition plays a vital role in post-transplantation prognosis. A survey of the candidates’ psychosocial wellbeing is necessary before LT. This study aims to investigate the psychosocial characteristics, including the depression degree, family function, alcohol use duration, and alcohol abstinence period, of LT candidates with ALD. In addition, 451 candidates for LT due to ALD were enrolled. They received psychosocial evaluations, including depression scale (Hamilton depression rating scale) and family functioning assessment (adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, resolve (APGAR) index). The test scores were analyzed according to age, alcohol use duration, and alcohol abstinence period. The Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D) score and the family APGAR index score differentiated significantly according to the age, alcohol use duration, and abstinence period of the LT candidates. The patients with shorter alcohol use duration tended to have more severe depressive symptoms and poorer family support. The younger patients showed a significantly shorter abstinence period, more severe depression, and poorer family functioning than older patients. The younger ALD patients and patients with shorter alcohol use duration showed an increased severity of depression before transplantation. They need more mental health care over time.