The present invention is related to methods and compositions for the therapeutic and diagnostic use in the treatment of diseases and disorders which are caused by or associated with amyloid or amyloid-like proteins including amyloidosis.In particular, the present invention provides novel methods and compositions for eliciting a highly specific and highly effective immune response in an organism, but particularly within an animal, particularly a mammal or a human, which is capable of preventing or alleviating amyloidosis, or the symptoms associated with amyloidosis, a group of diseases and disorders associated with amyloid plaque formation including secondary amyloidosis and age-related amyloidosis including, but not limited to, neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD), including diseases or conditions characterized by a loss of cognitive memory capacity such as, for example, mild cognitive impairment (MCI).