Cns & Neurological Disorders-drug Targets 

About: Cns & Neurological Disorders-drug Targets is an academic journal published by Bentham Science Publishers. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Medicine & Neuroprotection. It has an ISSN identifier of 1871-5273. Over the lifetime, 1646 publications have been published receiving 41410 citations. The journal is also known as: CNS and neurological disorders. Drug targets.

Gliogenesis and glial pathology in depression.

Abstract: Recent research has changed the perception of glia from being no more than silent supportive cells of neurons to being dynamic partners participating in brain metabolism and communication between neurons. This discovery of new glial functions coincides with growing evidence of the involvement of glia in the neuropathology of mood disorders. Unanticipated reductions in the density and number of glial cells are reported in fronto-limbic brain regions in major depression and bipolar illness. Moreover, age-dependent decreases in the density of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) - immunoreactive astrocytes and levels of GFAP protein are observed in the prefrontal cortex of younger depressed subjects. Since astrocytes participate in the uptake, metabolism and recycling of glutamate, we hypothesize that an astrocytic deficit may account for the alterations in glutamate/GABA neurotransmission in depression. Reductions in the density and ultrastructure of oligodendrocytes are also detected in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala in depression. Pathological changes in oligodendrocytes may be relevant to the disruption of white matter tracts in mood disorders reported by diffusion tensor imaging. Factors such as stress, excess of glucocorticoids, altered gene expression of neurotrophic factors and glial transporters, and changes in extracellular levels of neurotransmitters released by neurons may modify glial cell number and affect the neurophysiology of depression. Therefore, we will explore the role of these events in the possible alteration of glial number and activity, and the capacity of glia as a promising new target for therapeutic medications. Finally, we will consider the temporal relationship between glial and neuronal cell pathology in depression.

Oxidative stress and pathophysiology of ischemic stroke: novel therapeutic opportunities.

Abstract: Stroke is the second leading cause of death, after ischemic heart disease, and accounts for 9% of deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization [WHO], 15 million people suffer stroke worldwide each year. Of these, more than 6 million die and another 5 million are permanently disabled. Reactive oxygen species [ROS] have been implicated in brain injury after ischemic stroke. There is evidence that a rapid increase in the production of ROS immediately after acute ischemic stroke rapidly overwhelm antioxidant defences, causing further tissue damage. These ROS can damage cellular macromolecules leading to autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis. Moreover, the rapid restoration of blood flow increases the level of tissue oxygenation and accountsfor a second burst of ROS generation, which leads to reperfusion injury. Current measures to protect the brain against severe stroke damage are insufficient. Thus, it is critical to investigate antioxidant strategies that lead to the diminution of oxidative injury. The antioxidant vitamins C and E, the polyphenol resveratrol, the xanthine oxidase [XO] inhibitor allopurinol, and other antioxidant strategies have been reviewed in the setting of strokes. This review focuses on the mechanisms involved in ROS generation, the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, and the novel therapeutic strategies to be tested to reduce the cerebral damage related to both ischemia and reperfusion.

Clearance of amyloid-β peptide across the blood-brain barrier: Implication for therapies in Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract: The main receptors for amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) from brain to blood and blood to brain are low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein-1 (LRP1) and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), respectively. In normal human plasma a soluble form of LRP1 (sLRP1) is a major endogenous brain Aβ ‘sinker’ that sequesters some 70 to 90 % of plasma Aβ peptides. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the levels of sLRP1 and its capacity to bind Aβ are reduced which increases free Aβ fraction in plasma. This in turn may increase brain Aβ burden through decreased Aβ efflux and/or increased Aβ influx across the BBB. In Aβ immunotherapy, anti-Aβ antibody sequestration of plasma Aβ enhances the peripheral Aβ ‘sink action’. However, in contrast to endogenous sLRP1 which does not penetrate the BBB, some anti-Aβ antibodies may slowly enter the brain which reduces the effectiveness of their sink action and may contribute to neuroinflammation and intracerebral hemorrhage. Anti-Aβ antibody/Aβ immune complexes are rapidly cleared from brain to blood via FcRn (neonatal Fc receptor) across the BBB. In a mouse model of AD, restoring plasma sLRP1 with recombinant LRP-IV cluster reduces brain Aβ burden and improves functional changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and behavioral responses, without causing neuroinflammation and/or hemorrhage. The C-terminal sequence of Aβ is required for its direct interaction with sLRP and LRP-IV cluster which is completely blocked by the receptor-associated protein (RAP) that does not directly bind Aβ. Therapies to increase LRP1 expression or reduce RAGE activity at the BBB and/or restore the peripheral Aβ ‘sink’ action, hold potential to reduce brain Aβ and inflammation, and improve CBF and functional recovery in AD models, and by extension in AD patients.

The Endocannabinoid System and Pain

Abstract: The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids has been the topic of extensive investigation following the discovery of cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous ligands. Cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous ligands are present at supraspinal, spinal and peripheral levels. Cannabinoids suppress behavioral responses to noxious stimulation and suppress nociceptive processing through activation of cannabinoid CB(1) and CB(2) receptor subtypes. Endocannabinoids, the brain's own cannabis-like substances, share the same molecular target as Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component in cannabis. Endocannabinoids serve as synaptic circuit breakers and regulate multiple physiological and pathological conditions, e.g. regulation of food intake, immunomodulation, inflammation, analgesia, cancer, addictive behavior, epilepsy and others. This review will focus on uncovering the roles of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, the two best characterized endocannabinoids identified to date, in controlling nociceptive responding. The roles of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, released under physiological conditions, in modulating nociceptive responding at different levels of the neuraxis will be emphasized in this review. Effects of modulation of endocannabinoid levels through inhibition of endocannabinoid hydrolysis and uptake is also compared with effects of exogenous administration of synthetic endocannabinoids in acute, inflammatory and neuropathic pain models. Finally, the therapeutic potential of the endocannabinoid signaling system is discussed in the context of identifying novel pharmacotherapies for the treatment of pain.

Assessing activation states in microglia.

Abstract: Since the original identification of microglia as a principal player in the brain's innate immune response, microglial activation has been widely studied. Recent studies suggest that microglial responses are heterogeneous, requiring a more precise definition of the functional outcomes of their participation in disease. Similarly to other tissue macrophages, microglia respond to inflammatory or injurious stimuli in the CNS in a pre-programmed manner that is designed to both kill and to set the stage for repair and resolution of the disease. In vitro studies on acute immune responses have provided key information on the initiation, signaling pathways and products of activated macrophages. However, in chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease where in vivo analyses are critical to understanding the long-term disease processes, our knowledge of the integrated tissue immune response and the outcome of this immune activity to neurons and other glia over the extended course of disease is more limited. This is due in part to the complexity of microglial activation states and to the location of microglia in a dense neuronal network. Classical activation, alternative activation and acquired deactivation are each found in the brain during chronic neuroinflammatory diseases and may demonstrate regional differences in expression levels. This review will identify "markers" that can be used to explore inflammatory states in the brain and will discuss the likely functional outcomes when these cytoactive factors are expressed. A broad-based functional view is provided that is designed to more fully explore the balance between inflammo-toxic and inflammo-resolution factors that govern chronic disease progression.