Generic placeholder image

CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1871-5273
ISSN (Online): 1996-3181

Targeting Neurotrophin Receptors in the Central Nervous System

Author(s): Italo Mocchetti, Milton Brown and Milton Brown

Volume 7, Issue 1, 2008

Page: [71 - 82] Pages: 12

DOI: 10.2174/187152708783885138

Price: $65

Abstract

Neurotrophic factors, and in particular the neurotrophins, restore the function of damaged neurons and prevent apoptosis in adults. The potential therapeutic property of the neurotrophins is however, complicated by the peptidergic structure of these trophic factors, which impairs their penetration into the brain parenchyma, and therefore makes their pharmaco-therapeutic properties difficult to evaluate. In this article we will focus on the neurotrophin Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptors to address various therapeutic strategies that may overcome this problem. We will call this strategy “small molecule approach” because it relies on increasing the function of endogenous neurotrophins by pharmacological compounds that induce synthesis and release of neurotrophins in relevant brain areas or by small synthetic molecules that bind and activate specific neurotrophin receptors. The ability of small molecules to mimic BDNF has a potential therapeutic importance in preventing neuronal damage in several chronic neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinsons Disease, Alzheimers Disease, and AIDS dementia.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, apoptosis, BDNF, gangliosides, NGF, neurodegeneration, Parkinson's disease, Trk


Rights & Permissions Print Cite
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy