Notch From Neurodevelopment To Neurodegeneration Keeping The Fate

Can molecular mechanisms involved in neural development help us to understand, prevent and perhaps reverse the course of brain ageing and neurodegenerative disorders? Brain development and function require complex cellular and molecular processes controlled by a number of different signaling mechanisms. One such signaling mechanism, the Notch pathway, has been recognized as an important player in the regulation of cellfate decisions during early neural development. However, the action of this evolutionary conserved and widely used cell-cell interaction mechanism is not confined to the developing nervous system. In addition, recent studies have shown that elucidating the mechanism of Notch signaling and its role in the brain is important for our understanding of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and cerebral arteriopathy CADASIL.

Homeostasis involves a delicate interplay between generative and degenerative processes to maintain a stable internal environment. In biological systems, equilibrium is established and controlled through a series of negative feedback mechanisms driven by a range of signal transduction processes. Failures in these complex communication pathways result in instability leading to disease. Cancer represents a state of imbalance caused by an excess of cell proliferation. In contrast, neurodegeneration is a consequence of excessive cell loss in the nervous system. Both of these disorders exhort profound tolls on humanity and they have been subject to a great deal of research designed to ameliorate this suffering. For the most part, the topics have been viewed as distinct and rarely do opportunities arise for transdisciplinary discussions among experts in both fields. However, cancer and neurodegeneration represent yin-yang counterpoints in the regulation of cell growth, and it is reasonable to hypothesize that key regulatory events mediated by oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in cancer may also affect neurodegenerative processes

Many adult onset neurodegenerative diseases arise from the accumulation of misfolded peptides. This book examines the role sub-cellular trafficking pathways play in the pathological accumulation of these misfolded proteins and in attempts to clear them.

A biochemical hypothesis - that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive cerebral amyloidosis caused by the aggregation of the amyloid b-protein (Ab) - preceded and enabled the discovery of etiologies. This volume serves as a record focused on bringing together investigators at the forefront of elucidating the structure and function of hippocampal synapses with investigators focused on understanding how early assemblies of Ab may compromise some of these synapses.

Few medical or scientific addresses have so unmistakeably made history as the presentation delivered by Alois Alzheimer on November 4, 1906 in Tübingen. The celebratory event "Alzheimer 100 Years and Beyond" was organized through the Alzheimer community in Germany and worldwide, in collaboration with the Fondation Ipsen. This volume, a collection of articles by the invited speakers and of a few other prominent researchers, is published as a record of those events.

Molecular Aspects of Neurodegeneration, Neuroprotection, and Regeneration in Neurological Disorders presents readers with comprehensive and cutting-edge information on the neurochemical mechanisms of various types of neurological disorders. The book covers information on signal transduction processes associated with neurochemistry of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative, neurotraumatic, and neuropsychiatric disorders. The book also discusses risk factors, symptoms, pathogenesis, biomarkers, and the potential treatments of neurological disorders. The comprehensive information in this monograph may not only help in early detection of various neurological disorders, but will also promote the discovery of new drugs. Provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular aspects of neurodegeneration, neuroprotection, and neuro-regeneration, along with therapeutic strategies for various types of neurological disorders Provides cutting-edge research information on the signal transduction processes associated with the neurochemistry of neurological disorders Discusses risk factors, symptoms, pathogenesis, biomarkers, and the potential for treatments of neurological disorders