Disease-Modifying Targets in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Disease-Modifying Targets in Neurodegenerative Disorders: Paving the Way for Disease-Modifying Therapies examines specific neurodegenerative disorders in comprehensive chapters written by experts in the respective fields. Each chapter contains a summary of the disease management field, subsequently elaborating on the molecular mechanisms and promising new targets for disease-modifying therapies.

This overview is ideal for neuroscientists, biomedical researchers, medical doctors, and caregivers, not only providing readers with a summary of the way patients are treated today, but also offering a glance at the future of neurodegenerative disorder treatment.

• Provides a comprehensive overview of how key proteins in neurodegenerative disorders can be used as targets to modify disease progress
• Summarizes how patients are treated today, providing a glance at future disease management
• Includes intelligible and informative information that is perfect for non-specialists, medical practitioners, and scientists
• Written and peer reviewed by outstanding scientists in their respective fields

Neuroscientists, graduate and undergraduate students in biological and biomedical sciences, post-doctoral fellows, researchers, neurologists, clinicians

Chapter 1: The multitude of therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative proteinopathies

• Abstract
• Protein Misfolding and Aggregation
• Mechanism of Assembly
• Prion-Like Propagation of Protein Assemblies
• Propagation Routes of Pathogenic Protein Aggregates
• Limiting Steps in the Propagation of Pathogenic Protein Assemblies
• Therapeutic Strategies Targeting the Physiological Levels of Aggregation-Prone Proteins Involved in Neurodegeneration
• Therapeutic Strategies Targeting the Misfolding and Aggregation of Proteins Involved in Neurodegeneration
• Therapeutic Strategies Targeting the Accumulation of Misfolded Pathologic Protein Aggregates
• Therapeutic Strategies Targeting the Cell-to-Cell Propagation of Pathogenic Protein Aggregates
• Therapeutic Strategies Aimed at Restoring the Damage Pathogenic Protein Aggregates Induce
• Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Misfolded Pathologic Protein Aggregate–Mediated Neuroinflammation
• Limitations of the Different Therapeutic Strategies
• Acknowledgments

Chapter 2: Synuclein misfolding as a therapeutic target

• Abstract
• Introduction
• The Conformational Landscape of α-Synuclein: the Native State
• The Conformational Landscape of α-Synuclein: Misfolded Variants
• Misfolding of α-Synuclein as a Therapeutic Target
• Conclusions

Chapter 3: Neuroinflammation as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Glial Cells in CNS Development, Homeostasis, and Pathology
• Chronic Neuroinflammation as a Common Pathophysiological Mediator in Progressive Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Neuroinflammation in Progressive Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Future Perspectives
• Conclusions

Chapter 4A: Stem cells in neurodegeneration: mind the gap

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Part I: Stem Cells
• Part II: Stem Cells as Regenerative Therapy
• Part III: Stem Cells to Model Neurodegenerative Diseases

Chapter 4B: The potential of stem cells in tackling neurodegenerative diseases

• Abstract
• Endogenous Stem Cells as a Therapeutic Target

Chapter 5: Preclinical models of Alzheimer’s disease for identification and preclinical validation of therapeutic targets: from fine-tuning strategies for validated targets to new venues for therapy

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Conclusions

Chapter 6: Parkinson’s disease

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Current Treatment Approaches in Parkinson’s Disease
• Drugs That are Being Evaluated Clinically for Disease Modification in PD
• Novel Targets for Disease-Modifying Therapies in PD
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgments

Chapter 7: Lewy body dementia

• Abstract
• Lewy Body Dementia
• Management of LBD
• Concluding Remarks

Chapter 8: Frontotemporal dementia

• Abstract
• Overview of Frontotemporal Dementia
• Disease Management
• Novel Possibilities in Disease-Modifying Drug Development
• Discussion: Essentials for the Development of a Disease-Modifying Therapy
• Conclusions

Chapter 9: From huntingtin gene to Huntington’s disease-altering strategies

• Abstract
• Huntington’s Disease
• Huntingtin Gene and Transcripts
• Huntingtin Protein
• HD Pathogenic Mechanisms
• Molecular Strategies for HD
• ASO
• Genome Editing
• Conclusions and Perspectives
• Acknowledgments

Chapter 10: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Excitotoxicity
• Hyperexcitability
• Pathogenic Role of Non-Neuronal Cells
• Shortage of Neurotrophic Factors
• Mitochondrial Dysfunction
• Axonal Defects
• Altered Proteostasis and Autophagy
• Altered RNA Metabolism and Stress Granule Formation
• Hexanucleotide Repeats in C9ORF72 and Disturbances in Nucleocytoplasmic Transport
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgments