Exploration of Neuroprotective Therapy

Open Access

Review

Gut microbial imbalance and neurodegenerative proteinopathies: from molecular mechanisms to prospects of clinical applications

The pathogenic basis behind some of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases in advanced societies, known as proteinopathies, deals with alterations in protein homeostasis. Despite the broad di [...] Read more.

Paula Alonso-García ... Eva Martínez-Pinilla

Published: August 05, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:33–54
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00005

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Open Access

Review

Therapeutic potential of the cannabinoid receptor 2 in neuropsychiatry

Since the identification and cloning of the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2R), several studies focused on the characterization of its physiological and pathological role. Initially, CB2R was considered [...] Read more.

María S. García-Gutiérrez ... Jorge Manzanares

Published: August 05, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:55–71
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00006

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Times Cited: 3

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Review

T-cell based immunotherapies for Parkinson’s disease

Current evidence indicates that neurodegeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra associated to Parkinson's disease is a consequence of a neuroinflammatory process in whic [...] Read more.

Rodrigo Pacheco

Published: October 29, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:72–85
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00007

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Times Cited: 6

Open Access

Review

Striking a balance: PIP₂ and PIP₃ signaling in neuronal health and disease

Phosphoinositides are membrane phospholipids involved in a variety of cellular processes like growth, development, metabolism, and transport. This review focuses on the maintenance of cellular homeo [...] Read more.

Kamran Tariq, Bryan W. Luikart

Published: October 29, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:86–110
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00008
This article belongs to the special issue Cholesterol Dyshomeostasis in Neurological Diseases

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Times Cited: 24

Open Access

Review

Immunization with neural-derived peptides as a neuroprotective therapy for spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) induces several destructive events that develop immediately after the primary insult. These phenomena increase tissue damage; that is why, numerous therapeutic approaches ar [...] Read more.

Andrea Paola Ibarra-García, Antonio Ibarra

Published: October 29, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:111–120
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00009

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Open Access

Perspective

Maternal imprinting, mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA and Alzheimer’s disease

Familial early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is more probable in individuals coming from mothers diagnosed with AD than from fathers diagnosed with AD. Studies in animal models have show [...] Read more.

Alberto Pérez-Mediavilla, Marta Zamarbide

Published: October 29, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:121–126
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00010

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Open Access

Review

Peroxisomes in intracellular cholesterol transport: from basic physiology to brain pathology

Peroxisomes are actively involved in the metabolism of various lipids including fatty acids, ether phospholipids, bile acids as well as the processing of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Recent [...] Read more.

Jian Xiao ... Jie Luo

Published: December 30, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:127–145
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00011
This article belongs to the special issue Cholesterol Dyshomeostasis in Neurological Diseases

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Times Cited: 3

Open Access

Review

Advancing diagnosis and treatment of Niemann-Pick C disease through biomarker discovery

Niemann-Pick C disease is a rare neurodegenerative, lysosomal storage disease caused by accumulation of unesterified cholesterol. Diagnosis of the disease is often delayed due to its rarity, the het [...] Read more.

Xuntian Jiang, Daniel S. Ory

Published: December 30, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:146–158
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00012
This article belongs to the special issue Cholesterol Dyshomeostasis in Neurological Diseases

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Times Cited: 17

Open Access

Review

Targeting cytochrome P450 46A1 and brain cholesterol 24-hydroxylation to treat neurodegenerative diseases

The brain cholesterol content is determined by the balance between the pathways of in situ biosynthesis and cholesterol elimination via 24-hydroxylation catalyzed by cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1). [...] Read more.

Irina A. Pikuleva

Published: December 30, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:159–172
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00013
This article belongs to the special issue Cholesterol Dyshomeostasis in Neurological Diseases

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Times Cited: 4

Open Access

Review

Blocking cholesterol storage to treat Alzheimer’s disease

Cholesterol serves as an essential lipid molecule in various membrane organelles of mammalian cells. The metabolites of cholesterol also play important functions. Acyl-coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltr [...] Read more.

Ta Yuan Chang ... James G. Gow

Published: December 30, 2021 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2021;1:173–184
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2021.00014
This article belongs to the special issue Cholesterol Dyshomeostasis in Neurological Diseases

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Times Cited: 17

Open Access

Review

Balancing cholesterol in the brain: from synthesis to disposal

The cholesterol is a vital component of cell membranes and myelin sheaths, and a precursor for essential molecules such as steroid hormones. In humans, cholesterol is partially obtained through the [...] Read more.

Lydia Qian ... Andrew J. Brown

Published: January 05, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:1–27
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00015
This article belongs to the special issue Cholesterol Dyshomeostasis in Neurological Diseases

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Times Cited: 9

Open Access

Review

Dry needling in stroke

Stroke causes acute neurological deficit which is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Neurorehabilitation is an important dimension in the management of post-stroke deficits. Spasticity, [...] Read more.

Nirmal Surya, Guhan Ramamurthy

Published: February 17, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:28–35
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00016
This article belongs to the special issue Dry Needling for Neurological Disorders

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Times Cited: 1

Open Access

Systematic Review

Various facets of excitotoxicity

Aim: Excitotoxicity results from unusually increased activation of excitatory amino acid receptors leading to neuronal death. Since glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the centra [...] Read more.

Aim: Excitotoxicity results from unusually increased activation of excitatory amino acid receptors leading to neuronal death. Since glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, it is also the most common excitotoxicity trigger. This uncontrolled neuronal response participates in various neurodegenerative diseases, such as ischemia, hypoglycemia, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, the investigation in the field expanded a lot in the past decade, leading to in vitro modelling adaptations. However, much performed work on glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is methodologically inconsistent in the literature. The field lacks reproducibility, which is one of the main fundaments of empirical science. In this regard, the literature was summarized and the main methodological features were critically evaluated, aiming to guide the researchers that are starting in the field. Methods: Published data since 1985 from PUBMED were collected and analyzed to observe which in vitro experimental conditions of excitotoxicity were reproducible. The suggested methods were based on the characteristics of excitotoxicity, such as abnormal intracellular calcium mediated signaling, mitochondria impairment, reactive oxygen species accumulation and cell death. Various conditions and comparative controls were used to design the standard investigation of excitotoxicity, such as culture medium content (presence of glutamate and aspartate), time interval of induction and the concentration of the inductor, based on the most reproducible published ones. Results: Our results and critical analysis point to some experimental conditions to consider, such as primary cultured neurons are more sensitive to glutamate and the response obtained is more robust than in other models; excitotoxicity mediated effects are better observed one hour following the stimulus; the culture medium should contain low levels of glutamate or aspartate or glycine. Online available phosphoproteomic data on excitotoxicity using the primary cortical neurons in vitro model supported the same conditions proposed by us. Conclusions: This manuscript will facilitate the design of any research for excitotoxic or neuroprotective compounds in physiological and pathophysiological conditions by standardizing and improving experimental conditions.

Talita Glaser ... Henning Ulrich

Published: February 23, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:36–64
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00017

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Times Cited: 6

Aim: Excitotoxicity results from unusually increased activation of excitatory amino acid receptors leading to neuronal death. Since glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, it is also the most common excitotoxicity trigger. This uncontrolled neuronal response participates in various neurodegenerative diseases, such as ischemia, hypoglycemia, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, the investigation in the field expanded a lot in the past decade, leading to in vitro modelling adaptations. However, much performed work on glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is methodologically inconsistent in the literature. The field lacks reproducibility, which is one of the main fundaments of empirical science. In this regard, the literature was summarized and the main methodological features were critically evaluated, aiming to guide the researchers that are starting in the field. Methods: Published data since 1985 from PUBMED were collected and analyzed to observe which in vitro experimental conditions of excitotoxicity were reproducible. The suggested methods were based on the characteristics of excitotoxicity, such as abnormal intracellular calcium mediated signaling, mitochondria impairment, reactive oxygen species accumulation and cell death. Various conditions and comparative controls were used to design the standard investigation of excitotoxicity, such as culture medium content (presence of glutamate and aspartate), time interval of induction and the concentration of the inductor, based on the most reproducible published ones. Results: Our results and critical analysis point to some experimental conditions to consider, such as primary cultured neurons are more sensitive to glutamate and the response obtained is more robust than in other models; excitotoxicity mediated effects are better observed one hour following the stimulus; the culture medium should contain low levels of glutamate or aspartate or glycine. Online available phosphoproteomic data on excitotoxicity using the primary cortical neurons in vitro model supported the same conditions proposed by us. Conclusions: This manuscript will facilitate the design of any research for excitotoxic or neuroprotective compounds in physiological and pathophysiological conditions by standardizing and improving experimental conditions.

Open Access

Review

Subarachnoid hemorrhage: management considerations for COVID-19

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has deleterious outcomes for patients, and during the hospital stay, patients are susceptible to vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVI [...] Read more.

Eric J. Panther, Brandon Lucke-Wold

Published: March 02, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:65–73
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00018
This article belongs to the special issue Emerging Concepts in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

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Times Cited: 14

Open Access

Perspective

Gut microbiota could modulate the effects of neuro-immune responses and memory traces via the gut-brain-immune axis in schizophrenia

Altered immunity may have destructive consequences for the integrated central nervous system. This immune response often affects progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and/or psychiatric disorders suc [...] Read more.

Haruka Sawamura ... Satoru Matsuda

Published: April 24, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:74–86
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00019
This article belongs to the special issue Intervention of Neuroimmune Responses

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Review

The role of physical activity against chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a narrative review

Several studies investigated the side effect of adjuvant cancer treatments, and different types of preventive techniques or treatments have been assessed. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy [...] Read more.

Daniele Diotti ... Lucio Marinelli

Published: April 28, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:87–99
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00020

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Original Article

Combined effects of dry needling and exercises therapy on muscle spasticity and motor function in chronic stroke: a pretest-posttest pilot study

Aim: Spasticity is one of the most common symptoms in post-stroke patients. Dry needling (DN) is a relatively new method for the management of muscle spasticity. A multimodal treatment may be mor [...] Read more.

Seyedeh Saeideh Babazadeh-Zavieh ... Korosh Mansoori

Published: June 20, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:100–109
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00021
This article belongs to the special issue Dry Needling for Neurological Disorders

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Times Cited: 4

Open Access

Perspective

Can meditation-based approaches improve the cleansing power of the glymphatic system?

The glymphatic system, first described in 2012, is a brain-wide perivascular network that plays an important role in promoting interstitial metabolic waste removal from the brain. Glymphatic pathway [...] Read more.

Peter Wostyn, Piet Goddaer

Published: June 20, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:110–117
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00022

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Open Access

Review

The glymphatic system and subarachnoid hemorrhage: disruption and recovery

The glymphatic system, or glial-lymphatic system, is a waste clearance system composed of perivascular channels formed by astrocytes that mediate the clearance of proteins and metabolites from the b [...] Read more.

Stephan Quintin ... Brandon Lucke-Wold

Published: June 21, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:118–130
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00023
This article belongs to the special issue Emerging Concepts in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

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Times Cited: 10

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Review

Economics of dry needling and botulinum toxin type A for treatment of post-stroke spasticity: a review

Stroke is one of the most common causes of disability and exerts a high burden of direct and indirect costs. Stroke may cause spasticity, which limits patients’ abilities and affects the [...] Read more.

Daniel Fernández ... Eva María Gómez-Trullén

Published: June 30, 2022 Explor Neuroprot Ther. 2022;2:131–140
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ent.2022.00024
This article belongs to the special issue Dry Needling for Neurological Disorders

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Times Cited: 7