Neurodegenerative Diseases: Advances in Understanding Mechanisms and Development of Therapies

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are heterogeneous neurological disorders characterized by the progressive loss of structure or functions of neurons, and they affect millions of people worldwide. Although treatment may relieve some of the neurodegenerative symptoms, there are currently no effective cures. In addition, an understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying some neurodegenerative diseases remains incomplete.

Encouragingly, emerging studies on pathophysiological mechanisms, investigations of toolkits, and the development of new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases are accumulating, refresh all respects of our fundamental understanding of many NDDs. Examples include the brain organoid-on-a-chip system, genomics and epigenetics sequencing techniques, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, and monoclonal antibodies used as neurological therapeutics. We are almost certainly at the precipice of a historical era in which we may demystify NDDs through achieving a comprehensive understanding of their fundamental mechanisms and thus developing therapies for their treatment.

This Special Issue of Pathophysiology will focus on advances in understanding neurodegenerative diseases and emerging therapies. We are thus seeking research articles and reviews regarding all topics associated with NDD, including genomic or epigenomic risk factors for developing NDD; the immunological mechanisms involved in the development of neuron death; pathological biomarkers for detecting or differentiating NDDs; and emerging tools and therapies for treating NDD.

Dr. Shao-bin Wang
Dr. Zhongshan Cheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathophysiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• CNS and peripheral inflammation
• neuron death
• CRISPR and gene editing
• therapeutic antibodies
• genetic or epigenetic risk