Bivalent multifunctional ligands targeting a[beta] oligomers as treatment for alzheimer's disease

A method of preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a patient in need thereof, comprising the step of

• administering to said patient a bivalent multifunctional Aβ oligomerization inhibitor (BMAOI) comprising
• i) an AP oligomer (AβO)-inhibitor moiety;
• ii) a cell membrane/lipid raft (CM/LR) anchor;
• and
• iii) a spacer moiety which forms a chemical linkage between said AβO-inhibitor moiety and said CM/LR anchor, wherein said BMAOI is administered in an amount sufficient to prevent or treat said AD in said patient.

A method of imaging or visualizing β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in brain tissue, comprising the steps of

• exposing said brain tissue to at least one bivalent multifunctional Aβ oligomerization inhibitor (BMAOI) comprising
• i) an Ap oligomer (AβO)-inhibitor moiety;
• ii) a cell membrane/lipid raft (CM/LR) anchor;
• and
• iii) a spacer moiety which forms a chemical linkage between said AβO-inhibitor moiety and said CM/LR anchor, wherein said step of exposing is carried out under conditions that allow said at least one BMAOI to associate with said Aβ plaques in said brain tissue;
• exposing said brain tissue to a source of electromagnetic radiation;
• and
• detecting fluorescence emitted from BMAOIs associated with said Aβ plaques.