In one embodiment, an antibody is provided, particularly a monoclonal antibody according to the invention including any functionally equivalent antibody or functional parts thereof, which antibody binds preferentially to A??1-40 monomeric peptide particularly to A?? monomeric peptide 1-40 and to soluble polymeric and/or oligomeric amyloid peptide comprising a plurality of A??1-42 monomeric peptide