Molecular Biomarkers In The Prediction Diagnosis And Prognosis Of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegeneration is characterized by the progressive loss of neural tissue that result in various neurodegeneration-initiated cerebral failures and complex diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease. All these medical conditions are accompanied by the disruption of blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is an interface, separating the brain from the circulatory system and protecting the central nervous system from potentially harmful chemicals while regulating transport of essential molecules and maintaining a stable environment. Owing to the inability of the neurons to regenerate on their own after neurodegeneration or severe damage to the neural tissue, neurodegenerative disorders do not have natural cures on their own. Neuroregeneration is a viable way to curb neurodegeneration. One of the current approaches is stem cell-based therapy that has been shown to be potentially helpful for the application of neuronal cell replacement for neuroregeneration. It is vital that the neurodegenerative disorder being detected at an early stage as it can provide a chance for treatment that may be helpful to prevent further progression of the fatal disease. Thus, research has focused on developing effective non-invasive diagnostic methods for early detection of these disorders. Molecular diagnostics can provide a powerful method to detect and diagnose various neurological disorders. Such diagnosis can enhance early detection, provide subsequent medical counsel based on medical pathway, as well as to gain better insight of neurogenesis and hopefully eventual cure of the neurodegenerative diseases. With research reports, reviews, mini-reviews and commentary, this research topic covers a wide range of areas in neurodegeneration research, including diagnosis and prognosis; regulating central nervous system; biomarkers and brain injury induced neurobehavioral outcomes among other timely reports on neurodegeneration.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal, inherited, neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by chorea, motor instabilities, psychiatric manifestations and cognitive decline. Early genetic testing provides an opportunity for clinical interventions aimed at delaying onset and/or slowing progression of disease; however, current treatments for HD are limited, with only two FDA-approved drugs available to manage chorea. Encouragingly, however, several disease-modifying treatment approaches are in the therapeutic pipeline, with more than 200 clinical studies, and many more preclinical studies, in the works. Robust and reliable biomarkers are needed to predict disease onset, monitor disease progression and assess treatment responses. More specifically, biomarkers to stratify patients for clinical trials and biomarkers to track drug efficacy will certainly lead to improved clinical trial design and success. This book represents the first book focused solely on biomarkers for HD and represents a distinct resource that will be informative, not only for clinicians and those involved in clinical trial design, but also for a wide range of neurodegenerative disease researchers. This edited volume is written by top leaders in the field, and takes a cross-disciplinary approach to cover a broad spectrum of biomarker types, in order to provide the latest advances in the development of biochemical, molecular, imaging and digital biomarkers that have been investigated for HD. With the ultimate goal of treating patients, the development of disease-associated biomarkers has never been more important.

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Molecular medicine is an applied science focused on human genes/transcripts, proteins, metabolites, and metabolic networks that describes molecular and cellular processes of health and disease onset and progression. Molecular medicine-based integrative identification and characterization of biomarker targets and their clinical translations is essential to explain/decipher the mechanism(s) underlying physiological pathways and pathological conditions, and acquire cell-targeted early interventional and therapeutic strategies in the context of precision medicine and public health. Principally, Molecular Medicine provides an overview of the latest headlines/developments of systems and molecular medicine, highlighting the emerging high-throughput technologies, promising potential applications, and progress in biomedical research and development strategies.

Due to continuous technical developments and new insights into the high complexity of neurological diseases, there is an increasing need for the application of proteomic technologies which can yield potential biomarker readouts for improved clinical management as well as for the development of new drugs by struggling pharmaceutical companies. This book describes the step-by-step use of proteomic methods such as two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, multiplex immunoassay, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and selective reaction monitoring MS, to increase our understanding of these diseases, with the ultimate aim of improving patient care. The volume will be of high interest to clinical scientists, physicians and pharmaceutical company scientists as it gives insights into the latest technologies enabling the revolution of personalized medicine. It is of direct interest to both technical and bench biomarker scientists as it gives step by step instructions on how to carry out each of the protocols. It is also of interest to researchers as each technique will be presented in the context of a specific neurological disorder, including Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Finally, it will also highlight the future research efforts in this field, which are endeavoring to convert proteomic platforms to the form of hand held devices which can be used in a point of care setting and return diagnostic results within the timeframe of a visit to the general practitioner.

This book examines the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with aging. It comprehensively describes the genetic, epigenetic, biochemical and metabolic regulation of aging, as well as some important age-related diseases. Divided into two major sections, it takes readers through the various aspects of aging in a story-like manner and suggests various interventions for healthy aging, such as dietary restriction, regular exercise, nutrition and maintaining a balanced and a non-stressful lifestyle. It describes the implications of aging on the nervous system, metabolism, immunity and stem cells as well as care for the elderly. The book is an ideal companion for both new and established researchers in the field and is also useful for educators, clinicians and policy makers.