Neuroprotective role of natural polyphenols: a look to the potentiality of elderberry extracts

Neurodegenerative diseases cause a progressive functional alteration of neuronal systems often resulting in a state of dementia considered one of the most common psychiatric disorders of the elderly. The most common form of dementia is the Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that causes memory loss and impairment of multiple cognitive functions. The limited effectiveness of current therapies against AD highlights the need to intensify research aimed to develop new agents able to prevent or retard the disease progression.