Alzheimer's disease pathology involves β-amyloid and tau. Various potential pharmacological targets are discussed that may be able to alleviate the accumulation of β-amyloid and tau. Possible causes of Alzheimer's disease are discussed involving impaired glucose and lipid metabolism and obesity. Adipokines may be involved in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. An extensive discussion of the evidence concerning the adipokines leptin, adiponectin, resistin, visfatin, plasminogen activator inhibitor, interleukin-6 and transforming growth factor β1 as causes of Alzheimer's disease is presented.