Research on New Targets and New Drugs for Dementia
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 5
Special Issue Editor
Interests: molecular pharmacology; GPCR; muscarinic receptor; TRPV1; neurodegeneration; Alzheimer’s disease; microglia; protein-protein interaction; surface plasmon resonance; sumoylation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Dementia—encompassing Alzheimer’s disease (AD, 60–80% of cases), vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and other forms—poses an escalating global health challenge. Current symptomatic therapies (e.g., cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists) are limited; thus, research focuses on disease-modifying strategies targeting core pathologies like amyloid-beta plaques, tau tangles, and neuroinflammation. Monoclonal antibodies (e.g., lecanemab) exemplify therapeutic progress, slowing decline in early AD via amyloid clearance. Beyond biologics, innovative strategies include immunotherapy, drug repurposing, gene therapies, and multi-target natural compounds.
Emerging targets span neuro-immune crosstalk, microglial activation pathways, genetic risk loci (>70 identified), and novel molecular drivers. This Special Issue calls for cutting-edge research on mechanism-driven therapeutics and innovative drug modalities—from repurposed agents and biologics to small molecules and natural derivatives—aimed at preventing, slowing, or reversing disease progression across dementias. Contributions should bridge molecular-level pathological pathways with translational validation.
Prof. Dr. Jianrong Xu
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- Alzheimer’s disease
- disease-modifying therapy
- neuroinflammation
- monoclonal antibodies
- natural products
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