What is neurodegeneration?

Neurodegeneration is the progressive loss of neuron structure and function over time, primarily affecting older adults; it encompasses diverse disorders like Alzheimer's disease (characterized by amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, affecting 47 million people currently with projections rising to 135 million by 2050) and Parkinson's disease (marked by Lewy bodies and dopamine neuron loss in the substantia nigra). The causes include familial genetic mutations (such as APP, APOE4, PSEN1/2 for Alzheimer's and SNCA for Parkinson's) and sporadic factors involving inflammation, sleep-related glymphatic system dysfunction, and microbiome influences. Current research focuses on understanding protein aggregation mechanisms to develop preventive and curative treatments.