Autophagy and neurodegenerative disorders

Neural Regen Res. 2013 Aug 25;8(24):2275-83. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.24.007.

Abstract

Accumulation of aberrant proteins and inclusion bodies are hallmarks in most neurodegenerative diseases. Consequently, these aggregates within neurons lead to toxic effects, overproduction of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress. Autophagy is a significant intracellular mechanism that removes damaged organelles and misfolded proteins in order to maintain cell homeostasis. Excessive or insufficient autophagic activity in neurons leads to altered homeostasis and influences their survival rate, causing neurodegeneration. The review article provides an update of the role of autophagic process in representative chronic and acute neurodegenerative disorders.

Keywords: Parkinson's disease; acute and chronic neurode-generation; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; apoptosis; autophagy; autophagy-related genes; multiple sclerosis; neural regeneration; neuroregeneration; oxidative stress; reviews.

Publication types

  • Review