This book, written by a leading panel of experts in the field of neurosciences, provides a comprehensive overview of the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases as well as the preventive measures. Prevention is important due to the lack of early diagnostic markers and the limitations/ problems of treating neurodegenerative diseases

The Molecular and Cellular Basis of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Underlying Mechanisms presents the pathology, genetics, biochemistry and cell biology of the major human neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, frontotemporal dementia, ALS, Huntington's, and prion diseases. Edited and authored by internationally recognized leaders in the field, the book's chapters explore their pathogenic commonalities and differences, also including discussions of animal models and prospects for therapeutics. Diseases are presented first, with common mechanisms later. Individual chapters discuss each major neurodegenerative disease, integrating this information to offer multiple molecular and cellular mechanisms that diseases may have in common. This book provides readers with a timely update on this rapidly advancing area of investigation, presenting an invaluable resource for researchers in the field. - Covers the spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases and their complex genetic, pathological, biochemical and cellular features - Focuses on leading hypotheses regarding the biochemical and cellular dysfunctions that cause neurodegeneration - Details features, advantages and limitations of animal models, as well as prospects for therapeutic development - Authored by internationally recognized leaders in the field - Includes illustrations that help clarify and consolidate complex concepts

This comprehensive reference provides a detailed overview of current concepts regarding the cause of Parkinson's disease-emphasizing the issues involved in the design, implementation, and analysis of epidemiological studies of parkinsonism.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating and dehumanizing illness affecting increasingly large numbers of elderly and even middle-aged persons in a worldwide epidemic. Alzheimer’s Disease: A Physician’s Guide to Practical Management was written by selected clinicians and scientists who represent some of the world’s leading centers of excellence in AD research. The editors are proud and grateful for their profound contributions. This book is particularly designed to assist physicians and other health-care professionals in the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of individuals with AD. At the same time, by illuminating the basic scientific background, we hope to provide state-of-the art information about the disease and possible future therapeutic strategies. The recent psychiatric treatment aspects of AD are also clearly presented. Because the early diagnosis of the dementia process is now considered of increasing importance, we focus particularly in several chapters on early changes and preclinical conditions, such as mild cognitive impairment and predementia AD.

Oxidative stress is the result of an imbalance in pro-oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis that leads to the generation of toxic reactive oxygen species. Brain cells are continuously exposed to reactive oxygen species generated by oxidative metabolism, and in certain pathological conditions defense mechanisms against oxygen radicals may be weakened and/or overwhelmed. DNA is a potential target for oxidative damage, and genomic damage can contribute to neuropathogenesis. It is important therefore to identify tools for the quantitative analysis of DNA damage in models on neurological disorders. This book presents detailed information on various neurodegenerative disorders and their connection with oxidative stress. This information will provide clinicians with directions to treat these disorders with appropriate therapy and is also of vital importance for the drug industries for the design of new drugs for treatment of degenerative disorders.* Contains the latest information on the subject of neurodegenerative disorders* Reflects on various factors involved in degeneration and gives suggestions for how to tackle these problems

Drug Discovery Approaches for the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders: Alzheimer's Disease examines the drug discovery process for neurodegenerative diseases by focusing specifically on Alzheimer's Disease and illustrating the paradigm necessary to ensure future research and treatment success. The book explores diagnosis, epidemiology, drug discovery strategies, current therapeutics, and much more to provide a holistic approach to the discovery, development, and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Through its coverage of the latest research in targeted drug design, preclinical studies, and mouse and rat models, the book is a must-have resource for all pharmaceutical scientists, pharmacologists, neuroscientists, and clinical researchers working in this area. It illustrates why these drugs tend to fail at the clinical stage, and examines Alzheimer's Disease within the overall context of improving the drug discovery process for the treatment of other neurodegenerative disorders. - Provides a compilation of chemical considerations required in drug discovery for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders - Examines different classes of compounds currently being used in discovery and development stages - Explores in vitro and in vivo models with respect to their ability to translate these models to human conditions - Distills the most significant information across multiple areas of Alzheimer's disease research to provide a single, comprehensive, and balanced resource

This text summarizes the latest developments in imaging techniques and other new diagnostic methods as applied to the neurodegenerative disorders.

This book highlights the pathophysiological complexities of the mechanisms and factors that are likely to be involved in a range of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, other Dementia, Parkinson Diseases and Multiple Sclerosis. The spectrum of diverse factors involved in neurodegeneration, such as protein aggregation, oxidative stress, caspases and secretase, regulators, cholesterol, zinc, microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, etc, have been discussed in the context of disease progression. In addition, novel approaches to therapeutic interventions have also been presented. It is hoped that students, scientists and clinicians shall find this very informative book immensely useful and thought-provoking.

The editor of this volume, having research interests in the field of ROS production and the damage to cellular systems, has identified a number of enzymes showing ·OH scavenging activities details of which are anticipated to be published in the near future as confirmatory experiments are awaited. It is hoped that the information presented in this book on NDs will stimulate both expert and novice researchers in the field with excellent overviews of the current status of research and pointers to future research goals. Clinicians, nurses as well as families and caregivers should also benefit from the material presented in handling and treating their specialised cases. Also the insights gained should be valuable for further understanding of the diseases at molecular levels and should lead to development of new biomarkers, novel diagnostic tools and more effective therapeutic drugs to treat the clinical problems raised by these devastating diseases.

This book provides a cutting-edge review of polyglutamine disorders. It primarily focuses on two main aspects: (1) the mechanisms underlying the pathologies’ development and progression, and (2) the therapeutic strategies that are currently being explored to stop or delay disease progression. Polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders are a group of inherited neurodegenerative diseases with a fatal outcome that are caused by an abnormal expansion of a coding trinucleotide repeat (CAG), which is then translated in an abnormal protein with an elongated glutamine tract (Q). To date, nine polyQ disorders have been identified and described: dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA); Huntington’s disease (HD); spinal–bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA); and six spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 17). The genetic basis of polyQ disorders is well established and described, and despite important advances that have opened up the possibility of generating genetic models of the disease, the mechanisms that cause neuronal degeneration are still largely unknown and there is currently no treatment available for these disorders. Further, it is believed that the different polyQ may share some mechanisms and pathways contributing to neurodegeneration and disease progression.