Summary

Neurodegeneration refers to the progressive loss of neuron structure or function, which may eventually lead to cell death. Many neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and prion disease, are the results of neurodegenerative processes. Neurodegeneration can be found in many different levels of neuronal circuits in the brain, from molecules to systems. Since there is no known method to reverse the progressive degeneration of neurons, these diseases are considered incurable. Biomedical research has revealed many similarities between these diseases at the subcellular level, including atypical protein assembly (such as protein diseases) and induction of cell death. These similarities indicate that progress in the treatment of one neurodegenerative disease may also improve other diseases. This collection of entries aims to collect various medical research results related to neurodegeneration. We invite researchers to share their new results and ideas related to neurodegeneration.

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Entries
Topic Review
Freezing of Gait
Parkinson Disease (PD) primarily affects older adults. It is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease. Freezing of Gait (FoG) is a symptom present in approximately 80% of advanced-stage PD’s patients. FoG episodes alter the continuity of gait, and may be the cause of falls that can lead to injuries and even death. The recent advances in the development of hardware and software systems for the monitoring, stimulus, or rehabilitation of patients with FoG has been of great interest to researchers because detection and minimization of the duration of FoG events is an important factor in improving the quality of life. 
  • 634
  • 13 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Application of Sygen® in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathies
Diabetic peripheral neuropathies (DPNs) are conditions that impair the peripheral nervous system (PNS) component. These disorders may have numerous causes and are often presented in various forms. The monosialotetrahexosylganglioside (GM1) ganglioside, popularly known as Sygen, provides beneficial effects such as enhanced neuritic sprouting, neurotrophism, neuroprotection, anti-apoptosis, and anti-excitotoxic activity, being particularly useful in the treatment of neurological complications that arise from diabetes.
  • 429
  • 10 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Brain Trauma, Glucocorticoids and Neuroinflammation
Brain injury is a common cause of death and disability for people of all ages worldwide. Depending on the biomechanics, brain lesions may occur both in areas of the brain directly adjacent to the place of force application and in remote areas. The mechanisms of hippocampal damage are of particular importance, since they underlie late complications of traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as epilepsy, depression and cognitive impairment. The mechanisms of reorganization of neuronal networks in the hippocampus include long-lasting chronic neuroinflammation and secondary damage to the nervous tissue. Responses and disturbances of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis may play a critical role in late post-traumatic pathology, in particular by modulation of synaptic activity and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus.
  • 830
  • 25 May 2022
Topic Review
Microglial Endocannabinoid Signalling in Alzheimer’s Disease
Chronic inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been recently identified as a major contributor to disease pathogenesis. Once activated, microglial cells, which are brain-resident immune cells, exert several key actions, including phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and the release of pro- or anti-inflammatory mediators, which could have opposite effects on brain homeostasis, depending on the stage of disease and the particular phenotype of microglial cells. The endocannabinoids (eCBs) are pleiotropic bioactive lipids increasingly recognized for their essential roles in regulating microglial activity both under normal and AD-driven pathological conditions. 
  • 487
  • 25 May 2022
Topic Review
Spinal Cord Injury and Loss of Cortical Inhibition
Amongst the consequences of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the central nervous system, the loss of inhibition is a common finding, albeit not always observed, and it is likely to fluctuate over time. Changes in cortical excitability involve a plethora of mechanisms, which individual effects may combine in complex and variable outcomes on the process of functional and structural recovery. 
  • 729
  • 25 May 2022
Topic Review
Astrocytes in Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease
Astrocytes play a key role in the functioning of neurons in norm and pathology, being a target for stress and glucocorticoids, are a promising target for the treatment of stress-dependent depression and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Depression, as a mental disorder, is characterized by two core symptoms, depressed mood and loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities, and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as cognitive impairments, sleep disturbance, psychomotor retardation or agitation, feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt.
  • 757
  • 20 May 2022
Topic Review
Obesity and Dementia
Obesity is a growing worldwide health problem, affecting many people due to excessive saturated fat consumption, lack of exercise, or a sedentary lifestyle. Leptin is an adipokine secreted by adipose tissue that increases in obesity and has central actions not only at the hypothalamic level but also in other regions and nuclei of the central nervous system (CNS) such as the cerebral cortex and hippocampus.
  • 330
  • 19 May 2022
Topic Review
Yeast as a Model for VPS13-Dependent Neurodegenerative Diseases
Mutations in human VPS13A-D genes result in rare neurological diseases, including chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc). The pathogenesis of these diseases is poorly understood, and no effective treatment is available. As VPS13 genes are evolutionarily conserved, the effects of the pathogenic mutations could be studied in model organisms, including yeast, where one VPS13 gene is present. Here, the researchers summarize advancements obtained using yeast. In recent studies, vps13Δ and vps13-I2749 yeast mutants, which are models of chorea-acanthocytosis, were used to screen for multicopy and chemical suppressors. Two of the suppressors, a fragment of the MYO3 and RCN2 genes, act by downregulating calcineurin activity. In addition, vps13Δ suppression was achieved by using calcineurin inhibitors. The other group of multicopy suppressors were genes: FET4, encoding iron transporter, and CTR1, CTR3 and CCC2, encoding copper transporters. Mechanisms of their suppression rely on causing an increase in the intracellular iron content. Moreover, among the identified chemical suppressors were copper ionophores, which require a functional iron uptake system for activity, and flavonoids, which bind iron. These findings point at areas for further investigation in a higher eukaryotic model of VPS13-related diseases and to new therapeutic targets: calcium signalling and copper and iron homeostasis. Furthermore, the identified drugs are interesting candidates for drug repurposing for these diseases.
  • 404
  • 18 May 2022
Topic Review
The Role of the Cerebellum in Spatial Navigation
Although the function of the cerebellum has typically been associated with motor functions, several recent studies point to the cerebellum being involved in various cognitive functions, including spatial navigation. More specifically, clinical and neuroimaging evidence  suggests a functional and anatomical distinction between sensorimotor and cognitive cerebellum. The latter includes lobule VI, Crus I and II and lobule VIIB of the posterior lobe, which have been linked to different aspects of executive functions.
  • 738
  • 18 May 2022
Topic Review
Effects of Palmitoylethanolamide on Neurodegenerative Diseases
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) stands out among endogenous lipid mediators for its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic functions. PEA belonging to the N-acetylanolamine class of phospholipids was first isolated from soy lecithin, egg yolk, and peanut flour. It is currently used for the treatment of different types of neuropathic pain, such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and many other conditions. 
  • 658
  • 19 May 2022
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