Patent ID: 8716220

Claim:
A method for improving cognitive function of an Alzheimer's Disease subject suffering from at least one symptom of cognitive impairment comprising administering to the Alzheimer's Disease subject suffering from the at least one symptom of cognitive impairment a therapeutic amount of a leptin composition, wherein the leptin composition comprises (i) a leptin as a first therapeutic agent; (ii) a second therapeutic agent, wherein the second therapeutic agent comprises at least one kinase inhibitor of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 beta (GSK- 3β); and (iii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the therapeutic amount of the leptin composition is effective to improve cognitive function of the subject by reducing (1) the extracellular accumulation of amyloid beta in brain tissue, relative to the accumulation of amyloid beta in brain tissue of a subject treated with placebo, (2) the amount of abnormally phosphorylated tau in brain, relative to the amount of abnormally phosphorylated tau observed in a subject treated with placebo, and (3) the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles in brain tissue, relative to the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles observed in a subject treated with placebo, wherein the symptom of cognitive impairment is further characterized (1) as an impairment in memory, an impairment in language skill, an impairment in perceptual skills, an impairment in attention, an impairment in constructive ability, an impairment in orientation ability, an impairment in problem solving ability, an impairment in functional ability, or a combination thereof, as compared to a healthy subject, and (2) associated with (a) the extracellular accumulation of amyloid beta in brain tissue, (b) the aberrant pattern of phosphorylation of a tau protein in brain tissue, and (c) the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles in brain tissue due to Alzheimer's disease.