Neuroprotective Strategies 2012

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue is aimed at both the basic science and clinical aspects of neuroprotective approaches to acute (e.g., brain or spinal cord trauma, stroke), and chronic neurodegenerative (e.g., Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, age-related macular degeneration) diseases. Potential and existing interventions, either as reviews or original papers, to prevent neuronal cell death in the CNS and in the periphery are welcome to this special issue. The concept of neuroprotection in therapeutic terms may be best described by Shouldon (Science, 1998; 282:1072) as "pharmacological interventions that produce enduring benefits by favorably influencing underlying etiology or pathogenesis and thereby forestalling onset of disease or clinical decline." Our life span has increased and it brought about a significant increase in the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. While each neurodegenerative disease has its own characteristics and clinical manifestations, some common markers have been recognized. Among others, increased levels of oxidative/nitrosative damage to DNA, RNA, mitochondria, membranes, and proteins, etc. have been detected in connection with situations of neuronal damage. The wide variety of approaches to rescue neurons includes free radical scavenging antioxidants, ion channel modulators, excitatory amino acid antagonists and neurotrophic factors. Stem-cell based approaches may also represent a new opportunity to treat neurodegenerative diseases. I wish to thank all the authors for their contribution to this special issue.

Dr. Katalin Prokai-Tatrai
Guest Editor