CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders) - Volume 17, Issue 8, 2018

Background & Objective: Over the last two decades, Alzheimer disease (AD) associated research has accomplished an overwhelming momentum, as it is one of the major current healthcare issues in the developed world. AD is characterized by the presence of Aβ mediated extracellular amyloid fibrils and tau-mediated intracellular neurofibrillar tangles and reports have highlighted their subsequent effects on neuronal synaptic ac Read More

Background & Objective: Autism is a developmental disorder that manifests itself in early childhood. Autism is characterized by inability to acquire social skills, repetitive behaviors and failure of speech and nonverbal communication development. Recent studies have shown that genetic mutations occur in majority of individuals with autism. These mutations cause a variety of disorders that ultimately lead to brain disorde Read More

Background & Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an interconnected group of physiological, biochemical, clinical and metabolic factors that directly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and mortality. Rising evidence suggests that MetS plays a significant role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Nonetheless, the factors linking this ass Read More

Background: It was previously shown that inactivation of gamma-synuclein which is a small soluble neuronal protein affects psycho-emotional status and cognitive abilities in knock-out mice. Objective: Determine the role of gamma-synuclein inactivation on memory performance in aging animals. Method: We used the passive avoidance test and acute amphetamine administration in aging gammasynuclein knock-out mice. Read More

Background: Epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease are common neuropathies with a complex pathogenesis. Both of them have some correlations in etiology, pathogenesis, pathological changes, clinical manifestations and treatment. Objective: This study investigated the key genes and molecular genetic mechanism in epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease by bioinformatics analysis. Method: Two gene expression profiles were used to s Read More

Background & Objective: Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with inflammatory processes, including increased cytokine levels, even in individuals who are otherwise physically healthy, while some MDD patients may show insulin resistance (IR). Method: However, correlations between cytokines and IR parameters have not been studied extensively in MDD. In the present study, we measured IL-1β, IL-4, IFN-γ, T Read More

Background: There is evidence that changes in neuro-immune responses coupled with dysfunctions in serotonin metabolism underpin the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Objective: This study aimed to delineate whether ASD subgroups or characteristics show aberrations in tryptophan and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) metabolism. Methods: 65 individuals with ASD (diagnosed accor Read More