Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease and one of the most common causes of senile dementia. The incidence rate of AD is increasing year by year globally, however, almost all the drugs targeting the classic pathogenesis have not achieved satisfactory clinical results. This has led scientists to gradually shift from the simple amyloid hypothesis to new pathogenesis theories, including gamma oscillation, prion-like transmission, cerebral vasoconstriction, the role of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1α (GHSR1α) pathway, microbial infection, and dissipation of inflammation disorder. This article reviews the progress in the understanding of the pathogenesis of AD and provides a perspective on future treatment strategies.