Synuclein And The Coelacanth

Most neurodegenerative diseases have animal parallels such as Alzheimer's in chimpanzees, multiple sclerosis in macaques, Lou Gehrig's disease in dogs, but nothing like Parkinson's has ever been seen in any species but humans. Synuclein and the Coelacanth: The Molecular and Evolutionary Origins of Parkinson's Disease delves into the causes of Parkinson's disease and how the evolution of the human brain has left us uniquely vulnerable. Genetic risk factors, environmental toxins, and neuroanatomy are woven together in a multidisciplinary discussion that ranges from subatomic physics to socioeconomics. Connections between neurodegenerative disease, neural pathways, and innate immunity are explored. Finally, the author discusses new therapeutic agents are being developed that hope to go beyond just treating the symptoms of Parkinson's and actually halt the disease. - Proposes a new hypothesis on the origins of Parkinson's disease - Examines genetic risk factors, environmental toxins, and neuroanatomy of PD - Highlights new therapeutic treatment options in development for patients

From Fossils to Mind, Volume 275 in the Progress in Brain Research series, presents chapters on a variety of interesting topics, including What could our premammalian ancestors hear, see, smell, and touch? A review of ten years of research about cynodont paleoneurology, Endocasts of ornithopod dinosaurs: anatomy and comparison, Adaptationism and Structuralism in Brain Evolution Research, Genomic approaches for tracing the evolution of brain ageing and neurodegenerative diseases, Investigating the Coevolution of Language and Tools in the Brain: An ALE Meta-analysis of Neural Activation During Syntactic Processing and Tool Use, and more. - Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors - Presents the latest release in Progress in Brain Research serials - Updated release includes the latest information on From Fossils and Mind

The “omics” era has given a new perspective to the findings on the origin and evolution of the process of translation. This book provides insight into the evolution of the translation process and machinery from a modern perspective. Written by leading experts in molecular biology, this text looks into the origins and evolution of the protein synthetic machinery.

Neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating conditions that result in degeneration and death of nerve cells. A significant group of these diseases is the synucleinopathies, which are characterized by the accumulation of aggregates of alpha-synuclein in neurons, nerve fibers, or glial cells. There are three main types of synucleinopathies: Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and multiple system atrophy. Synucleins are small, naturally unfolded proteins prone to aggregate and form intracellular inclusions, which impair normal cellular functions. This book presents new data on synuclein aggregation and its effect on cholesterol transport. It also discusses the role of genetic contribution to these diseases and approaches to inhibition of synuclein aggregation.

Since their discovery in 1869, the dictyostelids have attracted the attention of scientists in a wide variety of fields. This interest has stemmed from their peculiar lifestyle and developmental properties, which were shaped by the evolutionary forces that generated multicellularity during eukaryotic evolution. More recently, the dictyostelids have gained attention due to the striking similarities found at the genomic, cellular and biochemical levels with human cells, which has propelled the species Dictyostelium discoideum to become a model system for biology and medicine in many laboratories. This book covers the latest advances in our knowledge of these extraordinary organisms with topics spanning from their evolutionary history, ecology and diversity to the recent discoveries regarding their cellular and molecular biology.

The second edition of this book presents the role of osmolytes in human health and diseases. Some of the chapters deal about the possibility of the use of osmolytes as diagnostic biomarkers and potential drug design for neurodegenerative and other human diseases. Other chapters also include reviews on the role of osmolytes in cancer, metastasis, infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, immunological disorders, and tissue regeneration. Importantly, the book also contain recent updates on the role of naturally occurring osmolytes in protein folding pathway, protein stability, and their underlying mechanisms. The book also covers the aspects that osmolytes could promote conformational alterations of transcription factors that favor metastatic behavior. Potential of the osmolytes in the various process of vaccine development, including enhancing the efficacy, production, and purification steps are also succintly described. Towards the end, the book also elucidates the use of specific molecules for the prevention of toxic gain of functions and restoration of function to disease-causing mutant protein. This book is an invaluable asset for the researchers especially working in osmolyte biology and scientists involved in basic and clinical research particularly neurodegeneration, diabetes, cancer, and metabolic disorders.

The topics covered by this volume include: protein destabilization at low temperatures; engineering the stability and function of Gene V Protein; free energy balance in protein folding; modelling protein stability as a heteropolymer collapse; stability of alpha helices; protein stability with T4 Lysozyme.

Genetics, Neurology, Behavior, and Diet in Dementia: The Neuroscience of Dementia, Volume 2 consolidates different fields of dementia research into a single book, covering a range of subjects, including Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, mixed dementia, vascular dementia, physical activity, risk factors, mortality, biomarkers, SPECT, CT, MRI, questionnaires, nutrition, sleep, delirium, hearing loss, agitation, aggression, delusions, anxiety, depression, hallucinations, psychosis, senile plaques, tau and amyloid-beta, neuroinflammation, and molecular biology. This foundational, comprehensive book assembles the latest understanding on all dementias and their common features in a single source. It is an invaluable resource for neuroscientists, neurologists, and anyone in the field. Offers comprehensive coverage of a broad range of topics related to dementia Serves as a foundational collection for neuroscientists and neurologists on the biology of dementia and brain dysfunction Contains in each chapter an abstract, key facts, mini dictionary of terms, and summary points to aid in understanding Provides unique sections on specific subareas, intellectual components, and knowledge-based niches that will help readers navigate key areas for research and further clinical recommendations Features preclinical and clinical studies to help researchers map out key areas for research and further clinical recommendations Serves as a "one-stop" source for everything you need to know about dementia