Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Clinical and Therapeutic Perspectives—Volume II

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases are progressive and debilitating conditions that result in inexorable neural degeneration and loss. To date, none of the existing therapeutic strategies can effectively stop or modify the pathological processes leading to neurodegeneration.

In recent decades, researchers have been trying to enhance the development of reliable biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, while medical practice has been moving toward precision medicine. However, there is still an urgent need to identify disease-specific biomarkers to improve the early diagnostic workup, favor clinical classification and prognostic models, and facilitate the development of effective disease-modifying therapies. Most neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, are characterized by the abnormal deposition of misfolded proteins in the central nervous system, resulting in neuronal degeneration and ultimately neuronal damage death. Several environmental factors have been proposed to contribute to neuronal damage and degenerative changes, and the genetic profile may also prepare the pathophysiological process underlying neurodegeneration. Distinct molecular and functional pathways may become dysregulated, including neurophysiology feedbacks, long-distance brain network organization, and neuroinflammatory responses. Pathology alterations can be detected, in vivo, by searching for cerebrospinal fluid alterations or using positron emission tomography to detect abnormal protein accumulation. Brain imaging can also reveal functional and molecular connectivity changes, and neurophysiology techniques may track additional early disease-specific dysfunctions. Genetic profiling can aid the identification of possible clinical trajectories along the neurodegenerative process, offering the possibility to test therapeutic strategies in a pre-symptomatic phase. Similarly, the investigation of neuroinflammatory responses represents a possible invaluable tool in monitoring disease progression and predicting clinical outcomes.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the current knowledge regarding neurodegeneration pathogenic mechanisms and underline possible diagnostic and therapeutic repercussions in neurodegenerative diseases.

In this Special Issue, original articles and reviews are welcome. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Fabiola De Marchi
Dr. Giacomo Tondo
Guest Editors

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• neurodegeneration
• aging
• dementia
• motoneuron disease
• movement disorders
• precision medicine
• biomarkers

• Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Clinical and Therapeutic Perspectives in Journal of Clinical Medicine (10 articles)