New Perspectives of Central Nervous System Injury and Neuroprotection

Central nervous system (CNS) diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis affect a large number of populations worldwide for which no suitable cure is currently available. In addition, stroke, nanoparticle intoxication, diabetes, hypertension, and psychostimulant abuse either alone or in combination are capable of inducing potential brain damage. Thus, there is an urgent need to expand our knowledge to find suitable therapeutic strategies to enhance neurorepair processes in such diseases.

This volume presents neuroprotection and novel therapeutic strategies developed in the last 5 years by 12 world leaders in the field. The term neuroprotection means rescuing neuronal and non-neuronal cells together. The cerebral endothelium that constitutes the anatomical and physiological site of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is one of the most important non-neural cells in the CNS. Any distortion of the BBB leads to brain diseases and restoration of the barrier results in neuroprotection. Thus, the BBB appears to be the "gateway" for neurological diseases and neurorepair. However, to treat brain tumors or infarcts, new therapeutic strategies are needed to enhance brain drug delivery using nanotechnology. In addition, apart from conventional drugs, restoration of BBB function could also be achieved by means of antibodies directed against specific proteins, neurotransmitters or exogenous supplement of neurotrophic factors. Since co-morbidity factors e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and exposure of nanoparticles could complicate the pathogenesis of neurological disorders either an enhanced dose of the drug or nanodelivery of a combination of several drugs is needed to achieve neuroprotection.

This volume of International Review of Neurobiology is the first to discuss novel therapeutic strategies in situations of neurological disorders in combination with different co-morbidity factors.

Reviews written by experts in such a way that provides basic knowledge for beginners and advanced information for researchers and expertsNew aspects of Neurodegenerative diseases such as; Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are presented with the latest therapeutic measuresExacerbation of brain pathology in hypertension or diabetes is discussed for the first time

1. The Function and Mechanisms of Nurr1 Action in Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons, From Development and Maintenance to Survival

Yu Luo

2. Monoclonal Antibodies as Novel Neurotherapeutic Agents in CNS Injury and Repair

Aruna Sharma and Hari S Sharma

3. The Blood-Brain Barrier in Alzheimer’s Disease. Novel Therapeutic Targets and Nanodrug delivery

Hari S Sharma, Rudy J Castellani, Mark A Smith and Aruna Sharma

4. Neurovascular Aspects of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Maria Carolina O. Rodrigues, Diana G. Hernandez-Ontiveros, Michael K. Louis, Alison E. Willing, Cesario V. Borlongan, Paul R. Sanberg, Júlio C. Voltarelli and Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis
5. Quercetin in Hypoxia Induced Oxidative Stress: Novel Target for Neuroprotection Anand Kumar Pandey, Ranjana Patnaik, Dafin F Muresanu, Aruna Sharma and Hari S. Sharma
6. Environmental Conditions Modulate Neurotoxic Effects of Psychomotor Stimulant Drugs of Abuse Eugene A. Kiyatkin and Hari S. Sharma
7. Central Nervous Tissue Damage after Hypoxia and Reperfusion in Conjunction with Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Mechanisms of Action and Possibilities for Mitigation Lars Wiklund, Cecile Martijn, Adriana Miclescu, Egidijus Semenas, Sten Rubertsson and Hari S Sharma
8. Interactions Between Opioids and Anabolic Androgenic Steroids: Implications for The Development of Addictive Behavior Fred Nyberg and Mathias Hallberg
9. Neurotrophic Factors and Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Delivery Issue

B. Ruozi, D. Belletti, L. Bondioli, A. De Vita, F. Forni, M.A. Vandelli and G. Tosi

10. Neuroprotective effects of cerebrolysin, a mixture of various neurotrophic factors and peptide fragments on the whole body hyperthermia-induced neurotoxicity. Modulatory Roles of co-morbidity factors and nanoparticle intoxication Hari Shanker Sharma, Aruna Sharma, Herbert Mössler and Dafin Fior Muresanu
11. Alzheimer’s Disease and Amyloid: Culprit or Coincidence? Stephen D. Skaper
12. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Other Angioglioneurins: Key Molecules in Brain Development and Restoration José Vicente Lafuente, Naiara Ortuzar, Harkaitz Bengoetxea, Susana Bulnes and Enrike G. Argandoña