Neuroprotective and Therapeutic Strategies against Parkinson’s Disease: Recent Perspe
 

FYI. Long paper but interesting parts.

Neuroprotective and Therapeutic Strategies against Parkinson’s Disease: Recent Perspectives

In this review, we have tried to cover a broad range of strategies that could be used to prevent the progressive neurodegeneration seen in PD. Several theories have been proposed about whether the pathogenesis of PD and mitochondrial theory is still tenable based on the fact that a number of studies support this theory. The main point we would like to emphasize is that PD pathogenesis is not a result of dysfunction of one specific pathway but rather a combination of interconnected events contributing to pathogenicity [304]. Unequivocally, aging is by far the most common risk factor of PD and any modulators that can expedite the aging process are can also affect the risk for PD. Thus, it is important to find neuroprotective agents that can restore the DA levels in the caudate putamen and prevent or delay the degeneration of DA neurons in the midbrain and eventual motor symptoms associated with PD. Although levodopa revolutionized PD therapy in the early 1960s, non-motor symptoms associated with PD were not alleviated. Thus, it remains to be seen how researchers and neurologists will overcome the challenges to develop and characterize treatment modalities that will not only prevent dopaminergic loss but also help mitigate autonomic, psychiatric and cognitive dysfunctions in PD patients.