Alzheimer′s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. The population of AD patients is numerous in China, so its prevention and treatment are imperative. The failure of therapies targeted to amyloid plaques has made the theory of neurotoxic amyloid β-protein oligomers (AβOs) more striking. In vivo and in vitro experiments have proved that the neurotoxicity of AβOs may be the cause of pathological changes in AD. This article mainly reviews the latest advances in the pathogenesis of AβOs and treatment strategies, and aims to better understand the relationship between AD and AβOs and provides references for further researches.