Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases are devastating conditions for which a cure has not yet been defined since the mechanisms involved are still little understood. The incidence of neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis, among the others, has increased in recent decades, associated with an aging population and significant cost. Nowadays, increased inflammation and oxidative stress are considered key modulators and common denominators of these pathologies.

Neuropharmacology has been evolving rapidly in order to identify new strategies that can support the nervous system, reducing the load of these disorders. The few treatments that are known and used are hampered by the Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB), which does not allow for the translocation of many therapeutic agents from blood to the brain, thus preventing the development of specific and innovative therapies. Basic research on this topic moves in two important directions:

• On the one hand, towards the synthesis of newly engineered materials, such as nanomaterials, and towards the development of nano- and biotechnology that can develop sophisticated drug delivery systems. In this case, in fact, nanodrugs, with particles smaller than 100 nm, could elude the BBB;
• On the other hand, natural products or derivatives of plants, with known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, could be tested.

Dr. Jessica Maiuolo
Guest Editor

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• neurodegenerative diseases
• demyelinating diseases
• blood–brain barrier
• inflammation
• reactive chemical species
• mitochondria
• endoplasmic reticulum
• autophagy
• apoptosis
• nanodrugs
• natural compounds
• polyphenols