Neurodegenerative Disease Modeling: An Introduction

Abstract

Neurodegenerative disorders are a varied group of ailments that are characterized by the progressive malfunction and death of neuronal cells. Tens of millions of individuals all over the world are currently affected by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, and a wide variety of other conditions related to brain pathology. It is anticipated that the prevalence of a number of these diseases will continue to rise and will have more than quadrupled by the year 2050 as a result of the aging of the world’s population. Because of the rising incidence of these illnesses and the absence of treatments that are proven to be effective, there is a significant need for novel pharmaceuticals. The creation of dependable assays for researching degenerative processes and identifying the primary agents of cause is the most essential step in the development of remedies for these diseases. This is the stage at which the most progress is made. In this chapter, the current status of modeling in the field of neurodegeneration is described as well as debated. Additionally, the gaps between known clinical information and the mechanistic understanding of the primary pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases are compared objectively. New directions in the field of neurodegeneration are reviewed as well, along with the potential for these new directions to advance treatment methods and strategies.