Heterocyclic Drugs from Plants
Rohit Dutt, Anil K. Sharma, Raj K. Keservani, Vandana Garg in Promising Drug Molecules of Natural Origin, 2020
‘Neurodegenerative disease’ is an umbrella term to indicate a range of disorders that primarily affect the neurons (the building blocks of CNS) and consequently the brain functions begin to deteriorate. Once the neurons are damaged or died, they can’t be regenerated or replaced unlike other cells which constantly replicate to produce themselves. Neurodegenerative diseases are incorrigible and debilitate the patient which results in the advanced degeneration and eventually the death of neurons (nerve cells) (JPND Research, 2018). The death of neurons can cause ataxias (movement problem), or mental dysfunction like dementias. Besides dementias some commonly known neuro-degenerative diseases are Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease (PD) and PD-related disorders, Prion disease, Huntington’s disease (HD), motor neuron disease (MND), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (Neurodegenerative Diseases, 2018). The genetics, age, and environmental factors are related to someone’s susceptibility to one of the neurodegenerative diseases which are treatable up to a certain level but not completely curable. Although there are treatments for these diseases up to a certain level, but they are not completely curable. Two important heterocyclic drugs (Figure 8.19) are frequently prescribed in neurodegenerative disease.
Understanding neuroradiology
Hemanshu Prabhakar, Charu Mahajan, Indu Kapoor in Manual of Neuroanesthesia, 2017
When CT scan can be a useful initial investigation: In the evaluation of chronic headache.Epilepsy: CT can identify granulomas, benign cortical tumors, calcifications, and gross anomalies.In cases of metabolic encephalopathy.Cranial neuralgias.Degenerative diseases.
The Concept of Nutritional Status and Its Measurement
James M. Rippe in Lifestyle Medicine, 2019
There is no question that genes and interactions among them and the environment set the stage for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and some cancers, among others. Also, there is already evidence that suggests that it may be possible to tailor one’s diet to one’s genes with good results. For example, it has been known for many years that it is possible to prevent mental retardation with a special diet low in phenylalanine when a baby is born with phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency. However, phenylketonuria is a rare single gene defect. The larger and more difficult question that must be answered is whether the common chronic diet-related degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer are amenable to the same st rategy. The chronic degenerative diseases are all disorders with multiple genes involved and multifactorial causes, of which genetics is but one, and thus they are much more complicated to deal with than single-gene disorders. However, only about 5% of the variation in chronic diseases can currently be explained by genetics. Therefore, it is unclear how much of that variation can be ameliorated by changing dietary habits. But it is certainly worth trying to do so.
ALS and fertility: does ALS affect number of children patients have?
Published in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration, 2021
HIlmi Uysal, Uğur Bilge, Nevruz İlhanli, Marta Gromicho, Julian Grosskreutz, Magdalena Kuzma-Kozakiewicz, Susana Pinto, Susanne Petri, Katarzyna Szacka, Krzysztof Nieporecki, Mamede De Carvalho
Human beings live in an era where mortality is decreasing and life expectancy is increasing to 70 years or more (27). This is due to many advances, including the application of microbe theory, the development of medical practices such as advanced nutrition and public health measures. Complex chronic degenerative diseases are distinguished by an indeterminate etiology, long time delay, long-term illness, functional impairment, and in many cases the lack of a cure. One argument is that evolutionary forces are neutral on these diseases, since neurodegenerative diseases occur during a post-reproductive period of the human life cycle (4). The presence of neurodegenerative diseases in the population over 50 can mean that there is no strong evolutionary selection pressure against these diseases (21).
A “hot crossed buns” sign, orthostatic syncope & gait ataxia point to probable multiple systems atrophy with dysarthria and slowed fluency suspicious for associated cognitive impairment
Published in Cogent Medicine, 2018
Anthony C. Torres, Garet J. Zaugg, Nasir Tufail, Paul H. Janda
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare Neurological disorder with similarities to Parkinson’s disease. MSA typically presents in middle age and will often cause difficulty walking, dizziness and passing out due to trouble maintaining blood pressure when changing positions. Unfortunately it is a degenerative disease without an effective treatment. More and more evidence is suggestive of MSA having an association with cognitive impairment. This article describes a case of probable MSA in which some signs of speech production may point to an association with impaired thought processes. Unique MRI images known as “hot-cross-bun” sign are shown and the significance of these images are discussed.While this is a rare disorder there is potentially promising and beneficial new genetic research on the rise.
Retinal Flow Density Changes in Early-stage Parkinson’s Disease Investigated by Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published in Current Eye Research, 2021
Yifan Zhang, Dan Zhang, Yuzhu Gao, Li Yang, Yunhan Tao, Hanyue Xu, Shulei Man, Ming Zhang, Yanming Xu
The eye has been referred to as a window to the brain due to its inseparable relationship with the central nervous system (CNS).5 The retina is derived from the neuroectoderm, which shares a lot of similarities with the CNS in embryological origin, vascular supply, and stress response. Visual symptoms have been reported to occur even before neurological impairments in some degenerative diseases. Especially in PD, dry eyes, impaired contrast sensitivity, and color vision have been known to occur as non-motor manifestations of PD.6 Degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons is the landmark of PD, which is not only observed in the CNS but also exhibits in the retina.7 The degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons in the ganglion cell layer offers a reasonable explanation for the observed thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, and the inner plexiform layer reported by the previous literature.8
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