Abstract: The present invention provides methods for reducing A? deposition, A? neurotoxicity and microgliosis in an animal or human afflicted with a cerebral amyloidogenic disease, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), by administering therapeutically effective amounts of the (R)-enantiomer of the dihydropyridine compound nilvadipine, also known as (?)-nilvadipine, to the animal or human. Further provided are methods for reducing the risk of A? deposition, A? neurotoxicity and microgliosis in animals or humans suffering from traumatic brain injury by administering (?)-nilvadipine after the traumatic brain injury and continuing treatment for a prescribed period of time thereafter.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for reducing ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity and microgliosis in animals or humans afflicted with a cerebral amyloidogenic disease, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), by administering therapeutically effective amounts of the dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, nilvadipine. The present invention also provides methods for diagnosing cerebral amyloidogenic diseases in animals or humans. Further provided are methods for reducing the risk of ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity and microgliosis in animals or humans suffering from traumatic brain injury by administering nilvadipine immediately after the traumatic brain injury and continuing treatment for a prescribed period of time thereafter.

Abstract: Provided are A? peptide fragments that are useful in inhibiting angiogenesis. Also provided are methods for the treatment of pathological or unwanted angiogenesis and conditions and diseases associated therewith by administering an effective amount of an A? fragment. In a particular embodiment, the peptide fragment includes the sequence HHQKLVFF.

Abstract: Provided are methods of treating or reducing the risk of developing beta-amyloid production, beta-amyloid deposition, beta-amyloid neurotoxicity (including abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau) and microgliosis associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid by administering therapeutically effective amounts of polyhydroquinoline and dihydropyridine compounds which decrease Abeta production in cells. Further provided are methods for diagnosing diseases associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid in animals or humans by administering diagnostically effective amounts of polyhydroquinoline and dihydropyridine compounds which decrease Abeta production in cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for reducing A? deposition, A? neurotoxicity and microgliosis in an animal or human afflicted with a cerebral amyloidogenic disease, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), by administering therapeutically effective amounts of the (R)-enantiomer of the dihydropyridine compound nilvadipine, also known as (?)-nilvadipine, to the animal or human, or by administering a non-racemic enantiomeric mixture of the dihydropyridine compound nilvadipine, to the animal or human. Further provided are methods for reducing the risk of A? deposition, A? neurotoxicity and microgliosis in animals or humans suffering from traumatic brain injury by administering (?)-nilvadipine, or non-racemic mixture of nilvadipine enantiomers, after the traumatic brain injury and continuing treatment for a prescribed period of time thereafter.

Abstract: There is provided a method of modifying vasoactivity by regulating a soluble A? pro-inflammatory pathway. Also provided is a method of modifying inflammatory reactions in microglia and neurons by regulating a soluble A? pro-inflammatory pathway. A method of treating patients with vascular disease by modifying an intracellular soluble A? pro-inflammatory pathway is also provided. A pharmaceutical composition consisting essentially of an effective amount of a soluble A? pro-inflammatory pathway regulator in a pharmaceutically effective carrier is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for treating diseases and pathological conditions or processes mediated by undesired and/or uncontrolled angiogenesis (characterized as “angiogenic diseases”), in particular cancer, by increasing the in vivo concentration of the A? peptide, within a patient suffering from such diseases, conditions or processes. The present invention also concerns diagnostic methods and kits for the detection and measurement of anti-angiogenic A? peptide activity in biological fluids and tissues. Such diagnostic methods and kits can be utilized to screen compounds for potential therapeutic activity in the treatment of angiogenic diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for reducing A? deposition, A? neurotoxicity and microgliosis in an animal or human afflicted with a cerebral amyloidogenic disease, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), by administering therapeutically effective amounts of the (R)-enantiomer of the dihydropyridine compound nilvadipine, also known as (?)-nilvadipine, to the animal or human. Further provided are methods for reducing the risk of A? deposition, A? neurotoxicity and microgliosis in animals or humans suffering from traumatic brain injury by administering (?)-nilvadipine after the traumatic brain injury and continuing treatment for a prescribed period of time thereafter.

Abstract: Provided are compounds useful for treating diseases associated with a cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid, such as Alzheimer's disease. Also provided are methods of treating or reducing the risk of developing ?-amyloid production, ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity (including abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau) and microgliosis associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid by administering therapeutically effective amounts of the compounds. Further provided are methods for diagnosing diseases associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid in animals or humans by administering diagnostically effective amounts of the compounds.

Abstract: Provided are compounds which can be used in combination for treating diseases associated with a condition associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid, such as Alzheimer's disease. Also provided are methods of treating or reducing the risk of developing ?-amyloid production, ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity (including abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau) and microgliosis associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid by administering therapeutically effective amounts of compounds which in combination can decrease ?-amyloid production and capacitative calcium entry in cells. Further provided are methods for diagnosing diseases associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid in animals or humans by administering diagnostically effective amounts of the compounds.

Abstract: Provided are A? peptide fragments that are useful in inhibiting angiogenesis. Also provided are methods for the treatment of pathological or unwanted angiogenesis and conditions and diseases associated therewith by administering an effective amount of an A? fragment. In a particular embodiment, the peptide fragment includes the sequence HHQKLVFF.

Abstract: Provided are compounds useful for treating diseases associated with a cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid, such as Alzheimer's disease. Also provided are methods for screening for such compounds, by measuring capacitative calcium entry in cells which optionally overexpress APP or a fragment thereof. Also provided are methods of treating or reducing the risk of developing ?-amyloid production, ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity (including abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau) and microgliosis associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid by administering therapeutically effective amounts of compounds which decrease ?-amyloid production and capacitative calcium entry in cells. Further provided are methods for diagnosing diseases associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid in animals or humans by administering diagnostically effective amounts of compounds which inhibit capacitative calcium entry in cells.

Abstract: Provided are compounds useful for treating diseases associated with a cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid, such as Alzheimer's disease. Also provided are methods for screening for such compounds, by measuring capacitative calcium entry in cells which optionally overexpress APP or a fragment thereof. Also provided are methods of treating or reducing the risk of developing ?-amyloid production, ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity (including abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau) and microgliosis associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid by administering therapeutically effective amounts of compounds which decrease ?-amyloid production and capacitative calcium entry in cells. Further provided are methods for diagnosing diseases associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid in animals or humans by administering diagnostically effective amounts of compounds which inhibit capacitative calcium entry in cells.

Abstract: Provided are compounds useful for treating diseases associated with a cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid, such as Alzheimer's disease. Also provided are methods for screening for such compounds, by measuring capacitative calcium entry in cells which optionally overexpress APP or a fragment thereof. Also provided are methods of treating or reducing the risk of developing ?-amyloid production, ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity (including abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau) and microgliosis associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid by administering therapeutically effective amounts of compounds which decrease ?-amyloid production and capacitative calcium entry in cells. Further provided are methods for diagnosing diseases associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid in animals or humans by administering diagnostically effective amounts of compounds which inhibit capacitative calcium entry in cells.

Abstract: Provided are compounds useful for treating diseases associated with a cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid, such as Alzheimer's disease. Also provided are methods for screening for such compounds, by measuring capacitative calcium entry in cells which optionally overexpress APP or a fragment thereof. Also provided are methods of treating or reducing the risk of developing ?-amyloid production, ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity (including abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau) and microgliosis associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid by administering therapeutically effective amounts of compounds which decrease ?-amyloid production and capacitative calcium entry in cells. Further provided are methods for diagnosing diseases associated with cerebral accumulation of Alzheimer's amyloid in animals or humans by administering diagnostically effective amounts of compounds which inhibit capacitative calcium entry in cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for reducing ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity and microgliosis in animals or humans afflicted with a cerebral amyloidogenic disease, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), by administering therapeutically effective amounts of the dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, nilvadipine. The present invention also provides methods for diagnosing cerebral amyloidogenic diseases in animals or humans. Further provided are methods for reducing the risk of ?-amyloid deposition, ?-amyloid neurotoxicity and microgliosis in animals or humans suffering from traumatic brain injury by administering nilvadipine immediately after the traumatic brain injury and continuing treatment for a prescribed period of time thereafter.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of treating tumors or proliferative disorders that are associated with angiogenesis by administering &ggr;-secretase and &bgr;-secretase inhibitors that inhibit secretases involved in amyloid precursor protein processing. In particular, methods are provided to treat tumors or proliferative disorders, or to inhibit angiogenesis associated with tumors, proliferative or inflammatory disorders, in animals or humans in need of such treatment or angiogenic inhibition, by administering to the animal or human therapeutically effective amounts in unit dosage form of a composition containing a carrier and at least one &ggr;-secretase or &bgr;-secretase inhibitor that inhibits secretase APP processing.

Abstract: Methods for screening compounds for use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, prion diseases, Huntington's disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, where the screening methods include (a) measuring the vasoactivity of blood vessels when contacted sequentially with a &bgr;-amyloid peptide, phenylephrine, and a compound to be screened, and (b) measuring the inflammatory response, including cytokine release, when microglial cells are contacted with a &bgr;-amyloid peptide and then with a compound to be screened. The disclosed methods rely upon a common underlying mechanism for &bgr;-amyloid peptide-induced vasoactivity, &bgr;-amyloid peptide-induced inflammatory responses of microglial cells, and the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases in general and Alzheimer's disease in particular, in which cGMP levels are increased by agents that counteract these three processes.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for treating diseases and pathological conditions or processes mediated by undesired and/or uncontrolled angiogenesis (characterized as “angiogenic diseases”) by increasing the in vivo concentration of the A&bgr; peptide, or biologically active fragments or variants of the A&bgr; peptide, within a patient suffering from such diseases, conditions, or processes. The present invention also concerns diagnostic methods and kits for detection and measurement of anti-angiogenic A&bgr; peptide activity in biological fluids and tissues. Such diagnostic methods and kits can be utilized to screen compounds for potential therapeutic activity in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.