Alzheimer' s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive decline and behavioral impairment, occurs mostly in the aging population. In recent years, the morbidity and mortality rates of AD have been increasing, and the disease onset tends to occur at a younger age. The etiology of AD is multifactorial and complex, involving aberrant deposition of amyloid β (Aβ), tau accumulation, apolipoprotein abnormalities, cerebrovascular dysfunction, metal dysregulation, oxidative stress and genetic factors. Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are the main pathological hallmarks of AD. Aβ, the main constituent of amyloid plaques, is generally recognized as the initiating cause of AD. Currently, there are still no effective treatments for AD. Herein, this review summarizes and highlights the advances in AD pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies, in the hope of providing new insight into AD study and treatment.