Neurodegenerative Diseases

Of enzymes and aging: Tryptophan metabolism plays key role in aging and age-related neurological diseases

(Medical Xpress)—In the battle against aging and age-related neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, a key factor has long appeared to be the toxicity of proteins which tend to aggregate. ...

Medical research created Oct 05, 2012 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (14) | comments 3 | with audio podcast feature

Boosting 'cellular garbage disposal' can delay the aging process, research shows

(Medical Xpress)—UCLA life scientists have identified a gene previously implicated in Parkinson's disease that can delay the onset of aging and extend the healthy life span of fruit flies. The research, ...

Genetics created May 06, 2013 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (18) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Neuroscientists show 'jumping genes' may contribute to aging-related brain defects

As the body ages, the physical effects are notable; wrinkles in the skin appear, physical exertion becomes harder. But there are also less visible processes going on. Inside aging brains there is another phenomenon at work, ...

Neuroscience created Apr 08, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

'RNA sponge' mechanism may cause ALS/FTD neurodegeneration

The most common genetic cause of both ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and FTD (frontotemporal dementia) was recently identified as an alteration in the gene C9orf72. But how the mutation causes neurodegenerative disease ...

Genetics created Apr 01, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

International consortium builds 'Google Map' of human metabolism

Building on earlier pioneering work by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, an international consortium of university researchers has produced the most comprehensive virtual reconstruction ...

Medical research created Mar 03, 2013 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (5) | comments 4 | with audio podcast

Researchers find controlling element of Huntington's disease

A three molecule complex may be a target for treating Huntington's disease, a genetic disorder affecting the brain. This finding by an international research team including scientists from the German Center for Neurodegenerative ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Feb 26, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Scientists find genes linked to human neurological disorders in sea lamprey genome

Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) have identified several genes linked to human neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury, in the ...

Genetics created Feb 24, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Ability of brain to protect itself from damage revealed

The origin of an innate ability the brain has to protect itself from damage that occurs in stroke has been explained for the first time.

Medical research created Feb 24, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 2 | with audio podcast

By studying hand motions, bioengineer is creating instruction manual to help repair a broken-down brain

(Medical Xpress)—"When you grab a cookie and want to break off a piece with a chocolate chip," says Maurice Smith, balancing a crumbly bit between two of his fingers, "your brain must represent that action ...

Neuroscience created Feb 06, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Chemical reaction keeps stroke-damaged brain from repairing itself

Nitric oxide, a gaseous molecule produced in the brain, can damage neurons. When the brain produces too much nitric oxide, it contributes to the severity and progression of stroke and neurodegenerative diseases ...

Medical research created Feb 04, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Transmission of tangles in Alzheimer's mice provides more authentic model of tau pathology

Brain diseases associated with the misformed protein tau, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau pathologies, are characterized by neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) comprised ...

Neuroscience created Jan 15, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Link between inflammatory process and progression of Alzheimer's disease

An international team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the University of Bonn and the Center for Advanced European Studies and Research in Germany have shown that a well-known immune and ...

Alzheimer's disease & dementia created Dec 19, 2012 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (7) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Rice opens new window on Parkinson's disease

(Medical Xpress)—Rice University scientists have discovered a new way to look inside living cells and see the insoluble fibrillar deposits associated with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's & Movement disorders created Dec 17, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Scientists describe the genetic signature of a vital set of neurons

Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified two genes involved in establishing the neuronal circuits required for breathing. They report their findings in a study published in the December issue of Nature Ne ...

Neuroscience created Nov 29, 2012 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Experimental compound improves memory in mice with multiple sclerosis

Johns Hopkins researchers report the successful use of a form of MRI to identify what appears to be a key biochemical marker for cognitive impairment in the brains of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). In follow-up experiments ...

Neuroscience created Nov 19, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 0 | with audio podcast


Neurodegeneration is the umbrella term for the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of neurons. Many neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s occur as a result of neurodegenerative processes. As research progresses, many similarities appear which relate these diseases to one another on a sub-cellular level. Discovering these similarities offers hope for therapeutic advances that could ameliorate many diseases simultaneously. There are many parallels between different neurodegenerative disorders including atypical protein assemblies as well as induced cell death. Neurodegeneration can be found in many different levels of neuronal circuitry ranging from molecular to systemic.

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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White matter imaging provides insight into human and chimpanzee aging

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