About this Research Topic
Neurodegenerative diseases can be described as a continuous process of deteriorative changes on cells, including nerve cells, with a tendency to die after a period of time. This can affect tissues and organs, leading to a disruption of the body's activities, such as balance, movement, talking and breathing. Some, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Lewy body disease, are closely related to aging and the risk to develop these dramatically increases in elderly people. Neurodegenerative conditions can also be related to lifestyle choices, such as eating habits and exercise, medical conditions, including alcoholism, cancer, and stroke, or exposure to external agents such as chemicals, poisons, and viruses. Other degenerative diseases have a strong genetic component; among these are Friedreich ataxia, Huntington's disease, Spinal muscular atrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia. In most cases the genesis of the disease is unknown and for most of them there is no effective treatment, with only palliative measures being available.
Ion channels are pore-forming shaped proteins, which allow the passage of specific ions (e.g., Ca2+, K+, Na+) through the cell membrane via an electrochemical gradient. These proteins can be voltage-gated, controlled by neurotransmitter and/or second messengers, or respond to mechanical and thermal stimuli. Recently, multiple studies have shown evidence that ion channels may be involved in some neurodegenerative diseases by regulating inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. Therefore, the role of these channels is worthy of investigation as a potential innovative therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases.
As a lack of efficient treatments is the main issue when it comes to neurodegenerative diseases, in this Research Topic we would like to present and collect new advances in the field of neurodegeneration that could lead the way to better treatment options. This Research Topic will aim to introduce Review and Original Research articles on the involvement of ion channels in the genesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the potential therapeutic role that these targets may have.
Ion channels are pore-forming shaped proteins, which allow the passage of specific ions (e.g., Ca2+, K+, Na+) through the cell membrane via an electrochemical gradient. These proteins can be voltage-gated, controlled by neurotransmitter and/or second messengers, or respond to mechanical and thermal stimuli. Recently, multiple studies have shown evidence that ion channels may be involved in some neurodegenerative diseases by regulating inflammatory and neurodegenerative processes. Therefore, the role of these channels is worthy of investigation as a potential innovative therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases.
As a lack of efficient treatments is the main issue when it comes to neurodegenerative diseases, in this Research Topic we would like to present and collect new advances in the field of neurodegeneration that could lead the way to better treatment options. This Research Topic will aim to introduce Review and Original Research articles on the involvement of ion channels in the genesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the potential therapeutic role that these targets may have.
Keywords: ion channels, membrane proteins, neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative diseases, therapeutic targets
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