The pathophysiology of CNS lesions is very complicated, including secondary damages to neural tissues after a primary injury, neuronal and glial loss, scar formation, and permanent disconnections of axonal tracts around the lesion. Loss of neural cells and networks in the CNS often causes persistent functional deficits with very limited recovery. Currently, there are few treatments for patients suffering from neurological functional deficits. Recent advances in understanding the secondary injury mechanism and signalling pathways for controlling CNS regeneration may help develop novel and effective neuroprotective and regenerative strategies. However, our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms for CNS diseases is incomplete. It is also very important to identify new targets and highly effective therapies to promote cell survival, CNS regeneration, re-myelination, neural circuit re-connections, and neuroplasticity in adult CNS and to translate them into clinical use.
The overall goals of this Research Topic are to further understand the molecular and cellular responses of injured neural cells (neurons and glia) and to develop highly effective strategies for repairing lesioned CNS and restoring neurological functions.
We invite investigators to contribute original research or review articles that highlight recent achievements in the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neural damages, regeneration failure, and functional loss; as well as in developing various strategies to enhance CNS repair, cell survival, axon regeneration, re-myelination, and functional recovery. Potential topics include, but not limited to, the following:
• Understanding the molecular and cellular responses of neural cells to CNS injuries or in neurological disorders;
• Understanding the novel mechanisms underlying cell loss/damage and regeneration failure in the lesioned CNS;
• Advances in elucidating signalling pathways and cellular targets in mediating CNS cell growth, regeneration, and neuroplasticity;
• Developing therapeutic strategies promoting cell survival, axon regeneration, re-myelination, and functional recovery by targeting extrinsic, intrinsic, and other factors.
The pathophysiology of CNS lesions is very complicated, including secondary damages to neural tissues after a primary injury, neuronal and glial loss, scar formation, and permanent disconnections of axonal tracts around the lesion. Loss of neural cells and networks in the CNS often causes persistent functional deficits with very limited recovery. Currently, there are few treatments for patients suffering from neurological functional deficits. Recent advances in understanding the secondary injury mechanism and signalling pathways for controlling CNS regeneration may help develop novel and effective neuroprotective and regenerative strategies. However, our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms for CNS diseases is incomplete. It is also very important to identify new targets and highly effective therapies to promote cell survival, CNS regeneration, re-myelination, neural circuit re-connections, and neuroplasticity in adult CNS and to translate them into clinical use.
The overall goals of this Research Topic are to further understand the molecular and cellular responses of injured neural cells (neurons and glia) and to develop highly effective strategies for repairing lesioned CNS and restoring neurological functions.
We invite investigators to contribute original research or review articles that highlight recent achievements in the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neural damages, regeneration failure, and functional loss; as well as in developing various strategies to enhance CNS repair, cell survival, axon regeneration, re-myelination, and functional recovery. Potential topics include, but not limited to, the following:
• Understanding the molecular and cellular responses of neural cells to CNS injuries or in neurological disorders;
• Understanding the novel mechanisms underlying cell loss/damage and regeneration failure in the lesioned CNS;
• Advances in elucidating signalling pathways and cellular targets in mediating CNS cell growth, regeneration, and neuroplasticity;
• Developing therapeutic strategies promoting cell survival, axon regeneration, re-myelination, and functional recovery by targeting extrinsic, intrinsic, and other factors.