ABSTRACT
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a chronic gradual loss of function and the subsequent death of neuronal sub-populations in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. These diseases have affected millions of individuals worldwide. Age- and aging- associated comorbidities are high risk factors for these diseases, and the dementia associated with them exerts a major socioeconomic burden worldwide. With an increase in life expectancy, in the coming decades, these diseases will create a severe impact on our healthcare systems. Elderly populations diagnosed with dementia are anticipated to demonstrate a dramatic surge from 5.5 million to 13.8 million by 2050. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease can cause almost 60 to 80 percent of the cases of dementia. Recently, intense research on multiple frontiers of these diseases has robustly enhanced our understanding related to them; however, very little progress has been made in developing easily accessible biomarkers for the early detection of disease and the therapeutic interventions to halt disease progression. The treatments currently administered to neurodegenerative disease patients take care of the symptoms but not their underlying cause. To address this concern, in recent years, many non-invasive biomarkers have been proposed for the early detection of disease, and new drug development strategies involving immunotherapy and gene therapy have been initiated. Recent research interest has also turned towards stem cell-based therapeutic strategies for preventing neurodegeneration. In this chapter, we delineate the current progress in the development of novel biomarkers and therapeutic interventions to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
