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Deciphering the Role of Adrenergic Receptors in Alzheimer’s Disease: Paving the Way for Innovative Therapies
Αndroulla N. Miliotou, Andria Kotsoni, Lefteris C. Zacharia. Biomolecules, 2025-01-15
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Neurodegenerative diseases are currently among the most devastating diseases with no effective disease-modifying drugs in the market, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) being the most prevalent. AD is a complex multifactorial neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive and severe cognitive impairment and memory loss. It is the most common cause of progressive memory loss (dementia) in the elderly, and to date, there is no effective treatment to cure or slow disease progression substantially. The role of adrenergic receptors in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies is poorly understood or investigated. Recently, some studies indicated a potential benefit of drugs acting on the adrenergic receptors for AD and dementias, although due to the heterogeneity of the drug classes used, the results on the whole remain inconclusive. The scope of this review article is to comprehensively review the literature on the possible role of adrenergic receptors in neurodegenerative diseases, stemming from the use of agonists and antagonists including antihypertensive and asthma drugs acting on the adrenergic receptors, but also from animal models and in vitro models where these receptors have been studied. Ultimately, we hope to obtain a better understanding of the role of these receptors, identify the gaps in knowledge, and explore the possibility of repurposing such drugs for AD, given their long history of use and safety.
Key findings
- Recently, some studies indicated a potential benefit of drugs acting on the adrenergic receptors for AD and dementias, although due to the heterogeneity of the drug classes used, the results on the whole remain inconclusive.
Why it matters
This review examines whether drugs acting on adrenergic receptors might benefit Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. It states that results so far remain inconclusive because of the heterogeneity of the drug classes studied, so no treatment or prevention benefit is established.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Biomolecules) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Biomolecules: journal h-index 191 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 13 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 13 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Lefteris C. Zacharia: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Nicosia: institution h-index 153 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39858522) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Miliotou, Α. N., Kotsoni, A., & Zacharia, L. C. (2025). Deciphering the Role of Adrenergic Receptors in Alzheimer’s Disease: Paving the Way for Innovative Therapies. Biomolecules. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15010128
Vancouver
Miliotou ΑN, Kotsoni A, Zacharia LC. Deciphering the Role of Adrenergic Receptors in Alzheimer’s Disease: Paving the Way for Innovative Therapies. Biomolecules. 2025. doi:10.3390/biom15010128. PMID: 39858522.
BibTeX
@article{miliotou2025-39858522,
author = {Miliotou, Αndroulla N. and Kotsoni, Andria and Zacharia, Lefteris C.},
title = {{Deciphering the Role of Adrenergic Receptors in Alzheimer’s Disease: Paving the Way for Innovative Therapies}},
journal = {Biomolecules},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/biom15010128},
pmid = {39858522},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15010128}
}
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