Transgenic flies displaying altered phenotypes due to expression of the
Abeta and C99 portions of the human APP gene are disclosed. Use of these
flies in a method to identify Drosophila genes and the human homologs of
these Drosophila genes, that are potentially involved in Alzheimer's
Disease, is also disclosed. The use of said human homologs as drug
targets for the development of therapeutics to treat Alzheimer's Disease
and other conditions associated with defects in the APP pathway, as well
as pharmaceutical compositions comprising substances directed to these
genes, are also disclosed.