Neurodegenerative conditions affect many people worldwide. Being more prevalent in the elderly population, they have claimed 15 million individuals globally. In 2019, about 50 million people who had at least one of these conditions were recorded, and they eventually had dementia. By 2060, this number is expected to increase to 152 million.
Neurodegenerative Diseases Credit: Alerie G. de la Fuente
This spectrum contains a wide range of conditions like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and
many others. The disease process leads to cognitive decline and nerve damage that cannot be reversed; this is due to the inability of nerve cells to grow back.
Neurodegenerative disorders cannot be cured so far. However, over the decades, scientists have discovered treatments that slow progress and improve quality of life.
Synaptic plasticity can be restored
It is common knowledge that the loss of plasticity in synapses is one of the typical features found in neurodegenerative diseases. Synaptic plasticity is the capacity of neurons to alter the structure and efficiency of synaptic transmission in response to various stimuli.
Scientists have suggested that the brain’s ability to process experiences into long-lasting memory is largely dependent on synaptic plasticity. Evidence has shown that the accumulation of a protein called the Ab oligomer can lead to reduced plasticity.
In a review that was published a while ago, scientists analyzed the use of drugs that aim at improving synaptic plasticity in Alzheimer’s patients with dementia. Out of the 12 that were studied, only 3 medications have promising results: levetiracetam, masitinib, and bryostatin 1.
When mice that had Alzheimer’s disease were given levetiracetam, they showed improvement in synaptic activity, but previous studies have recorded epileptic activity in human subjects. However, the drugs are useful in restoring cognitive abilities in people with an excited brain.
Masitinib is a drug that inhibits tyrosine kinase activity in the body. It has been approved for treating mast cell tumors in animals. Scientists believe that mast cells play a role in Alzheimer’s disease, and giving masitinib could lead to synapse protection and improved synaptic plasticity.
Scientists believe that bryostatin 1 can inhibit protein kinase C activity in humans. Protein kinase C plays a role in maintaining synapse integrity and the transport of signals across nerves. It improved mental cognition in mice; however, results from clinical trials are not so clear.
Clinical significance
The discovery and development of various therapeutic remedies for neurodegenerative diseases is the hallmark of all scientific efforts in this field so far. If researchers get consistent positive outcomes, patients could have a better quality of life, and who knows, a cure might be imminent.
However, the development of these drugs cannot be effectively done if some factors are not addressed. The detection of early stages of these diseases produces a better disease outcome and makes therapies more effective. Also, identifying the specific cellular pathway responsible for the various neurodegenerative diseases will make targeting precise and customized treatments possible for particular patient populations.
Conclusion
The development of dementia in families and communities can take a negative toll on family members, caregivers, and society at large. Scientists have discovered drugs that can target specific pathways that cause these diseases. This has the potential to be very beneficial in the years to come.
References
Xe la Fuente, A. G., Pelucchi, S., Mertens, J., Di Luca, M., Mauceri, D., & Marcello, E. (2023). Novel therapeutic approaches to target neurodegeneration. British Journal of Pharmacology, 180(13), 1651–1673. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.16078
