Cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases are two major types of neurological disorders, which are associated with high mortality rates and morbidity. The development of new therapies for cerebrovascular disorders (i.e., ischemic and haemorrhagic stroke, vascular dementia, and subarachnoid haemorrhage) is hindered by a lack of understanding of cerebro vascular biology in health and disease as well as factors influencing injury to vascular structures. Much data has accumulated to suggest that vascular factors and ischemic events in the brain are linked to the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia. Cerebral ischemia during the prenatal period or in labour are also known to affect brain development and functions significantly and predisposes to cognitive dysfunction. Neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are characterised by progressive neuronal loss and cognitive decline. The incidence of these diseases is increasing with the rising life expectancy that poses huge burden on families of patients, health services and governments.
There is an urgent need for new therapeutic targets and biomarkers that can predict the incidence and the prognosis of these diseases. In particular, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of these diseases to develop new therapeutic targets and diagnostic tools. Therefore, there is a great need to develop new therapeutic approaches that can be used in patients with cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.
Over the past few decades, most efforts have focused on the cellular, neurochemical and molecular events responsible for the susceptibility of neurons to injury, and on the development of strategies aimed at protecting neurons from the consequences of ischemia and degeneration. However, relatively less attention has been paid to the pathology of cerebral blood vessels, astrocytes, microglia and pericytes.
This Research Topic aims at a multifaceted approach to evaluating recent progress in our understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of these diseases.
Research articles and review papers are welcome from scientists working in the areas of i) brain cellular and vascular biochemistry and molecular biology and their relationships to brain development; ii) morphological analysis of brain structure after cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases; iv) the molecular and cellular events underlying the development of cerebral blood vessels and their relationships to brain development; v) the factors controlling the functional interaction between endothelial cells, neurons and glia; vi) studies of membrane channels and proteins; vii) perivascular status of the brain and functions of the blood brain barrier in health and disease; viii) protective mechanism of brain and new therapeutic targets.
Cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases are two major types of neurological disorders, which are associated with high mortality rates and morbidity. The development of new therapies for cerebrovascular disorders (i.e., ischemic and haemorrhagic stroke, vascular dementia, and subarachnoid haemorrhage) is hindered by a lack of understanding of cerebro vascular biology in health and disease as well as factors influencing injury to vascular structures. Much data has accumulated to suggest that vascular factors and ischemic events in the brain are linked to the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia. Cerebral ischemia during the prenatal period or in labour are also known to affect brain development and functions significantly and predisposes to cognitive dysfunction. Neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are characterised by progressive neuronal loss and cognitive decline. The incidence of these diseases is increasing with the rising life expectancy that poses huge burden on families of patients, health services and governments.
There is an urgent need for new therapeutic targets and biomarkers that can predict the incidence and the prognosis of these diseases. In particular, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of these diseases to develop new therapeutic targets and diagnostic tools. Therefore, there is a great need to develop new therapeutic approaches that can be used in patients with cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.
Over the past few decades, most efforts have focused on the cellular, neurochemical and molecular events responsible for the susceptibility of neurons to injury, and on the development of strategies aimed at protecting neurons from the consequences of ischemia and degeneration. However, relatively less attention has been paid to the pathology of cerebral blood vessels, astrocytes, microglia and pericytes.
This Research Topic aims at a multifaceted approach to evaluating recent progress in our understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of these diseases.
Research articles and review papers are welcome from scientists working in the areas of i) brain cellular and vascular biochemistry and molecular biology and their relationships to brain development; ii) morphological analysis of brain structure after cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases; iv) the molecular and cellular events underlying the development of cerebral blood vessels and their relationships to brain development; v) the factors controlling the functional interaction between endothelial cells, neurons and glia; vi) studies of membrane channels and proteins; vii) perivascular status of the brain and functions of the blood brain barrier in health and disease; viii) protective mechanism of brain and new therapeutic targets.
