ABSTRACT
Neurodegenerative diseases are a class of disorders characterized by the selective death of neurons. Neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) are typically post-mitotic – that is, they are unable to divide. Thus, once neurons are lost in a neurodegenerative disease, they will not be replaced, as might happen following degenerative disease in other organs (e.g. the liver). As a consequence, neurodegenerative diseases are chronic (i.e. long lasting) and progressive (i.e. they worsen with time). Also, therapy for neurodegenerative diseases is currently limited to treating the symptoms of the disease. A better understanding of the causes and underlying mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases is likely to lead to treatments which affect the cause of the disease, i.e. neuronal death. Given that neurodegenerative diseases are more prevalent in the elderly, and that many countries are showing a shift towards an aging population, finding effective means to treat neurodegenerative diseases has become a major priority for medical researchers, both in academia and industry.
