Exclusively neuron-centric approaches to neuropathological mechanisms have not resulted in major new breakthroughs in the prevention and therapy of neurodegenerative diseases. In the present paper, we review the role of glia in neurodegeneration in an attempt to identify novel targets that could be used to develop much-needed strategies for the containment and cure of neurodegenerative disorders. We discuss this in the context of glial roles in the homoeostasis and defence of the brain. We consider the mounting evidence supporting a change away from the perception of reactive glial responses merely as secondary detrimental processes that exacerbate the course of neurological disorders, in favour of an emerging contemporary view of glial pathological responses as complex and multistaged defensive processes that also have the potential for dysfunction.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
October 2014
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Conference Article|
September 18 2014
Glia in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases
Alexei Verkhratsky;
*Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K.
†Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain
‡University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia
2To whom correspondence should be addressed (email:Alexej.Verkhratsky@manchester.ac.uk).
Search for other works by this author on:
Vladimir Parpura;
Vladimir Parpura
1
§Department of Neurobiology, Center for Glial Biology in Medicine, Atomic Force Microscopy & Nanotechnology Laboratories, Civitan International Research Center, Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, U.S.A.
∥Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Search for other works by this author on:
Marcela Pekna;
Marcela Pekna
1
¶Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
**Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
Search for other works by this author on:
Milos Pekny;
Milos Pekny
1
¶Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
**Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
Search for other works by this author on:
Michael Sofroniew
Michael Sofroniew
1
††Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, U.S.A.
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
April 29 2014
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2014 Biochemical Society
2014
Biochem Soc Trans (2014) 42 (5): 1291–1301.
Article history
Received:
April 29 2014
Citation
Alexei Verkhratsky, Vladimir Parpura, Marcela Pekna, Milos Pekny, Michael Sofroniew; Glia in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Biochem Soc Trans 1 October 2014; 42 (5): 1291–1301. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20140107
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.