Neurodegenerative disease

A disorder in which neurons progressively lose function or die, causing worsening impairment in the nervous system. Examples include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Protein misfolding: The failure of proteins to adopt or maintain their functional three-dimensional structures. Misfolded proteins accumulate in several disorders, though their roles differ by disease.
Alzheimer's disease: A progressive brain disorder marked by memory and cognitive decline, with characteristic amyloid and tau pathology. It is a common example of degeneration centered on memory and cognition.
Neuron: A specialized nerve cell that receives, processes, and transmits information through electrical and chemical signals. Neurons are the cells whose progressive dysfunction or loss defines these disorders.
Stroke: Acute brain injury caused by interrupted blood flow or bleeding within the brain. Stroke typically produces sudden injury, unlike the gradual decline characteristic of degeneration.
Neuroinflammation: Inflammatory activity in the nervous system, involving immune cells and signaling molecules. Persistent immune responses can accompany degeneration and influence neuronal injury.
Parkinson's disease: A progressive disorder involving dopaminergic neuron loss and movement symptoms such as bradykinesia. Its motor symptoms show how degeneration in a particular circuit shapes disease.
Central nervous system: The brain and spinal cord, which process information and coordinate bodily functions. Many neurodegenerative disorders primarily affect structures within this system.
Multiple sclerosis: An immune-mediated disease in which damage to central nervous system myelin disrupts nerve signaling. Its primary pathology targets myelin, distinguishing it from diseases defined by progressive neuronal loss.
Mitochondrial dysfunction: Impaired mitochondrial processes that disrupt cellular energy production or other mitochondrial functions. Neurons depend heavily on energy, making mitochondrial failure a recurring disease mechanism.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A progressive disease that damages motor neurons and causes worsening muscle weakness. It illustrates degeneration affecting motor pathways in the brain and spinal cord.

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AutophagyRelated: Impaired clearance of protein aggregates and damaged organelles can contribute to neuronal stress.