CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders) - Volume 15, Issue 4, 2016

Background: Hitherto literature indicates that mood stabilizers exert variable effects on oxidative and antioxidative systems, which are involved in the pathogenesis of Bipolar Disorder. Herein we primarily sought to characterize markers of peripheral oxidative stress during euthymia in adults with Bipolar Disorder under current intake of different mood stabilizers (lithium, anticonvulsants and atypical antipsychotics/AAPs). Meth Read More

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders respectively, with devastating effects not only on the individual but also the society. Collectively, a number of factors contribute to the expression of ASD and AD. It is of utmost curiosity that these disorders express at different stages of life and there is an involvement of certain susceptible genes. This Read More

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is characterized by recurring mood swings, which are not completely understood yet. So far, it is an accepted theory that multiple factors contribute to pathogenesis of BD according to the vulnerability-stressmodel. This model combines on the one hand biological predisposing vulnerability, and on the other hand several chronic and acute stressful negative events as underlying mechanisms of BD. Read More

Progression of major depression, a multifactorial disorder with a neuroinflammatory signature, seems to be associated with the disruption of body allostasis. High rates of comorbidity between depression and specific medical disorders, such as, stroke, chronic pain conditions, diabetes mellitus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, have been extensively reported. In this review, we discuss how these medical disord Read More

In Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome, cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain progressively degenerate. This neurotransmitter system is the main source of acetylcholine to the cortex and hippocampus. In the mature and fully differentiated central nervous system, the phenotype of forebrain cholinergic neurons and their nerve terminals in cortex and hippocampus depend on the continuous endogenous supply of ner Read More

Intellectual disability (ID) and autism are present in several neurodevelopmental disorders and are often associated in genetic syndromes, such as Fragile X and Rett syndromes. While most evidence indicates that a genetic component plays an important role in the aetiology of both autism and ID, a number of studies suggest that immunological dysfunctions may participate in the pathophysiology of these disorders. Brain-specifi Read More

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating illness that affects a significant percentage of the world population. This disorder is associated with diminshed productivity and reduced quality of life; unfortunately the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully clarified. Recently, several studies have suggested that psychiatric disorders could be considered as inflammatory disorders; nevertheless.. Inflammation is Read More

Schizophrenia, a psychological disorder with enormous societal impact, is a result of abnormalities in gene expression and dysregulation of the immune response in the brain. Few studies have been conducted to understand its etiology, however, the exact molecular mechanism largely remains unknown, though some poorly understood theories abound. Present meta-study links the role of central nervous system, immu Read More

Neurodegeneration is the progressive loss of central neurons which may instigate many disabling psychological and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, parkinson’s disease, prion’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. It has become imperative to address the need to discover novel molecular targets and therapeutic strategies to combat neurodegeneration. It is more essential to do so, because mos Read More

Breakdown of normal blood-brain barrier function and accompanying vascular leakage are fundamental stages in the onset of multiple sclerosis and its animal counterpart, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. In the present study, angiopoietin-1, an endothelial growth factor well known for its role in establishing and maintaining vascular integrity, and C16, a peptide that competitively binds to integrin αvβ3 expressed on e Read More

Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG), one of the main ingredients of Polygonum multiflorum, has a great number of beneficial effects for health including anti-oxidant, free radicalscavenging and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the potential effects of TSG on neurotrophic factors release remain unclear. In this study, rat primary astroglia cultures were applied to investigate TSG-mediated neurotrophic effects. The Read More