Current Medicinal Chemistry - Central Nervous System Agents - Volume 5, Issue 1, 2005

The year 2005 began in the wake of the most catastrophic natural disaster of modern times: the destructive tsunami which has devastated much of coastal Southeast Asia and resulted in enormous loss of life and human suffering. I'm sure many readers donated generously to the various relief efforts following this tragedy. To be faced with human suffering on such a scale is feel at times overwhelmed by the enormity of the task Read More

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common dementia. Its frequency has increased dramatically in the last years due to the extended length of life. It presents cognitive symptoms inherent to the dementias, and a progressive and insidious deterioration. Aside from the cognitive deficits there are psychiatric symptoms related to the neurodegeneration of the different cerebral zones, with alteration of the neurotransmission. Th Read More

Striking advances have been made in recent years toward potential therapies for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease, which is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, is pathologically defined by the presence of amyloid plaques, composed of the amyloid-beta protein, and neurofibrillary tangles. The amyloid pathology has been associated with decreased synaptic plasticity and neurodegeneration, thereby e Read More

Neurotrophin proteins bind to p75NTR and Trk receptors to trigger potent biological effects including modulation of neuronal survival, promotion and maintenance of neurite networks, upregulation of neural function and modulation of synaptic plasticity. Factors limiting clinical application include poor stability, restricted nervous system penetration and a wide array of biological activities that may lead to adverse effects. A Read More

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the optic nerve and the inner layers of the retina. Increased intraocular pressure is a major risk factor in the disease. Chronic elevation of intraocular pressure specifically induces the death of retinal ganglion cells. By developing animal models of the disease, the scientific community has been able to make progress in understanding the mechanisms leading to the death Read More

Despite the controversial discussion about amyloid-β as a cause or consequence of Alzheimer disease pathophysiology, one of the most devastating neurodegenerative disorders, all researchers working in this field agree that oxidative stress is intimately associated with Alzheimer disease. This review will focus primarily on oxidative stress associated to disturbances in energy metabolism, with special emphasis on t Read More

The atypical antipsychotic drugs (APD) are characterised by an interaction with the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5- HT)2 receptor. Following the identification of the 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptor subtypes and the development of more selective compounds for these receptors, the role of these receptors in the pharmacological profile of APD has been studied. Although initial interest focussed on the 5-HT2A receptor Read More

Progress over the last decade has confirmed the occurrence of de novo neurogenesis within discrete regions of the adult brain. It has been demonstrated that under certain conditions neurogenesis can be stimulated above basal levels in the adult, and that resident pools of adult progenitors can be manipulated to generate new neurons in situ. Undoubtedly, these reports prelude possibilities for applications in rege Read More