Neurodegeneration Research Models: Advantages and Limitations

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases have different modes of pathological progression and different molecular precursors underlying their pathology. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease are the most common degenerative diseases and are reported to have different molecular precursors (i.e., β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), alpha-synucleins (α-Syn), microtubule associate tau proteins (MAPT), or mutant huntingtin (mHtt)). These different molecular mechanisms lead to more or less overlapping cognitive decline and neuronal death, but they target distinct brain regions. This diversity in pathological progression and molecular precursors offers a wide choice of research models to address the multidimensional aspects of these diseases.

The complex pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases is further complicated by the typical older age at diagnosis, which can pose additional challenges in determining the time of onset and designing effective disease therapies. The findings from various research models have so far led to contradictory conclusions, and it is difficult to obtain a clear overall picture. To help address translational research challenges, innovative models have recently been developed, such as iPSCs, 3D-cultures, organoids, and bioprinting, with the aim of reducing the gap between in vitro and in vivo disease models. Overall, however, we still have a long way to go to achieve a precise level of neurodegenerative disease modelling in both wet and dry lab settings.

In view of this, there is a need for a Special Issue addressing the advantages and disadvantages of the various neurodegenerative research models. Thus, the current issue aims to systematically review the available information and to investigate the variations in findings due to the use of different research models in neurodegeneration research.

Prof. Dr. Morten Meyer
Dr. Rohit Kumar
Guest Editors

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• in vitro/vivo neurodegenerative disease models
• computational neurodegenerative disease models
• synucleinopathies
• tauopathies
• neurodegenerative disorders
• neurodegeneration