Emerging Translational Research in Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases: From In Vitro to In Vivo Models, from Animals to Humans, from Qualitative to Quantitative Methods, 3rd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Translational research is a crucial and complex field in laboratory sciences that focuses on understanding the underlying mechanisms, searching for biomarkers, and developing therapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders. It involves integrating knowledge from basic neuroscience with the development of diagnostic and therapeutic tools that can be applied in clinical practice. The following are some key points on translational research in neurologic and psychiatric diseases:

1. Understanding Pathomechanisms: Translational research aims to uncover the underlying pathomechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders. This involves studying the molecular factors and neural computations that contribute to brain impairments and mental disorders.
2. Biomarker Discovery: Translational research also focuses on searching for new biomarkers that can aid in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of these diseases. Biomarkers, such as microRNAs, can provide valuable information about disease progression and treatment response.
3. Therapeutic Development: Another important aspect of translational research is the development of novel therapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders or the repurposing of drugs. This involves identifying potential targets and testing new treatment approaches in preclinical and clinical settings.
4. Disease Models: In vivo and in vitro disease models play a significant role in translational research. These models help researchers understand the complex polygenic, multifactorial, and heterogeneous disease mechanisms associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders.
5. Sex/Gender and Ageing: Emerging research in translational neuroscience has highlighted the intriguing interaction of sex/gender and aging with the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases. Understanding these factors can lead to more personalized and effective treatments.
6. Disease Range: Translational research encompasses a wide range of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke sequelae, HIV infection, and various psychiatric disorders.

The Special Issue mentioned in the invitation focuses on the latest developments in translational research in neurologic and psychiatric diseases. It aims to highlight the progress made in understanding these diseases and developing new approaches for diagnosis, treatment, and personalized medicine. Translational research plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between basic scientific knowledge and clinical practice, with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of individuals affected by neurological and psychiatric disorders. This Special Issue aims to shed light on the latest research pertaining to the comorbidity of depression, anxiety, dementia, and chronic pain in various diseases.

We cordially invite authors to contribute original research articles focusing on, but not limited to, the following:

• Etiology, pathogenesis, and progression mechanisms;
• Early diagnosis including biomarkers, bio-imaging, biosensors, neuroimaging;
• Methodology;
• Biomaterial biomedical research;
• Prophylactic, disease-modifying, and therapeutic strategies; novel targets;
• Novel drug discovery and development, naturally driven biomedicines, natural bioactive molecules, and vaccines;
• Antidepressants, anti-anxiolytics, cognitive enhancers, analgesics;
• Novel targets in various therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, vascular, hematology, oncology, neurology, orthopedics, dermatology, ophthalmology, and other peripheral systems;
• The repurposing of drugs;
• Biopharmaceutical biomedicine, biologics, biosimilars, nanobiotechnology, nanosimilars, and nanobiosimilars;
• Nanoscaffold implants (synthetic vascular graft), and biosensors;
• Bioimaging, gene therapy, vaccine, cell therapy, and tissue engineering;
• Predictors of clinical treatment responses;
• Preclinical in vitro models, and animal models;
• Bench-to-bedside translation research;
• Bedside-to-bench translational research.
• Computational neuroscience, and computational psychiatry.

Review articles including expert opinions, systematic analysis, metanalysis, and other statistical and analytical methods are also welcome.

Dr. Masaru Tanaka
Dr. Lydia Giménez-Llort
Dr. Simone Battaglia
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Biomedicines biomedicines	4.7	3.7	2013	15.4 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Biomolecules biomolecules	5.5	8.3	2011	16.9 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Brain Sciences brainsci	3.3	3.9	2011	15.6 Days	CHF 2200	Submit
Cells cells	6.0	9.0	2012	16.6 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
International Journal of Molecular Sciences ijms	5.6	7.8	2000	16.3 Days	CHF 2900	Submit

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24 pages, 872 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Revolutionizing Ischemic Stroke Diagnosis and Treatment: The Promising Role of Neurovascular Unit-Derived Extracellular Vesicles

by Xiangyu Gao, Dan Liu, Kangyi Yue, Zhuoyuan Zhang, Xiaofan Jiang and Peng Luo

Biomolecules 2024, 14(3), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14030378 - 20 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1252

Abstract

Ischemic stroke is a fatal and disabling disease worldwide and imposes a significant burden on society. At present, biological markers that can be conveniently measured in body fluids are lacking for the diagnosis of ischemic stroke, and there are no effective treatment methods [...] Read more.

Ischemic stroke is a fatal and disabling disease worldwide and imposes a significant burden on society. At present, biological markers that can be conveniently measured in body fluids are lacking for the diagnosis of ischemic stroke, and there are no effective treatment methods to improve neurological function after ischemic stroke. Therefore, new ways of diagnosing and treating ischemic stroke are urgently needed. The neurovascular unit, composed of neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and other components, plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of ischemic stroke. Extracellular vesicles are nanoscale lipid bilayer vesicles secreted by various cells. The key role of extracellular vesicles, which can be released by cells in the neurovascular unit and serve as significant facilitators of cellular communication, in ischemic stroke has been extensively documented in recent literature. Here, we highlight the role of neurovascular unit-derived extracellular vesicles in the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic stroke, the current status of extracellular vesicle engineering for ischemic stroke treatment, and the problems encountered in the clinical translation of extracellular vesicle therapies. Extracellular vesicles derived from the neurovascular unit could provide an important contribution to diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the future, and more studies in this area should be carried out. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Translational Research in Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases: From In Vitro to In Vivo Models, from Animals to Humans, from Qualitative to Quantitative Methods, 3rd Edition)

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26 pages, 8503 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of C-3 Side Chain Modifications on Kynurenic Acid: A Behavioral Analysis of Its Analogs in the Motor Domain

by Diána Martos, Bálint Lőrinczi, István Szatmári, László Vécsei and Masaru Tanaka

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(6), 3394; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25063394 - 16 Mar 2024

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Abstract

The central nervous system (CNS) is the final frontier in drug delivery because of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which poses significant barriers to the access of most drugs to their targets. Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a tryptophan (Trp) metabolite, plays an important role in [...] Read more.

The central nervous system (CNS) is the final frontier in drug delivery because of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which poses significant barriers to the access of most drugs to their targets. Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a tryptophan (Trp) metabolite, plays an important role in behavioral functions, and abnormal KYNA levels have been observed in neuropsychiatric conditions. The current challenge lies in delivering KYNA to the CNS owing to its polar side chain. Recently, C-3 side chain-modified KYNA analogs have been shown to cross the BBB; however, it is unclear whether they retain the biological functions of the parent molecule. This study examined the impact of KYNA analogs, specifically, SZR-72, SZR-104, and the newly developed SZRG-21, on behavior. The analogs were administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.), and their effects on the motor domain were compared with those of KYNA. Specifically, open-field (OF) and rotarod (RR) tests were employed to assess motor activity and skills. SZR-104 increased horizontal exploratory activity in the OF test at a dose of 0.04 μmol/4 μL, while SZR-72 decreased vertical activity at doses of 0.04 and 0.1 μmol/4 μL. In the RR test, however, neither KYNA nor its analogs showed any significant differences in motor skills at either dose. Side chain modification affects affective motor performance and exploratory behavior, as the results show for the first time. In this study, we showed that KYNA analogs alter emotional components such as motor-associated curiosity and emotions. Consequently, drug design necessitates the development of precise strategies to traverse the BBB while paying close attention to modifications in their effects on behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Translational Research in Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases: From In Vitro to In Vivo Models, from Animals to Humans, from Qualitative to Quantitative Methods, 3rd Edition)

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26 pages, 1141 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Targeting Human Glucocorticoid Receptors in Fear Learning: A Multiscale Integrated Approach to Study Functional Connectivity

by Simone Battaglia, Chiara Di Fazio, Matteo Mazzà, Marco Tamietto and Alessio Avenanti

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25020864 - 10 Jan 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1240

Abstract

Fear extinction is a phenomenon that involves a gradual reduction in conditioned fear responses through repeated exposure to fear-inducing cues. Functional brain connectivity assessments, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), provide valuable insights into how brain regions communicate during these processes. Stress, [...] Read more.

Fear extinction is a phenomenon that involves a gradual reduction in conditioned fear responses through repeated exposure to fear-inducing cues. Functional brain connectivity assessments, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), provide valuable insights into how brain regions communicate during these processes. Stress, a ubiquitous aspect of life, influences fear learning and extinction by changing the activity of the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus, leading to enhanced fear responses and/or impaired extinction. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are key to the stress response and show a dual function in fear regulation: while they enhance the consolidation of fear memories, they also facilitate extinction. Accordingly, GR dysregulation is associated with anxiety and mood disorders. Recent advancements in cognitive neuroscience underscore the need for a comprehensive understanding that integrates perspectives from the molecular, cellular, and systems levels. In particular, neuropharmacology provides valuable insights into neurotransmitter and receptor systems, aiding the investigation of mechanisms underlying fear regulation and potential therapeutic targets. A notable player in this context is cortisol, a key stress hormone, which significantly influences both fear memory reconsolidation and extinction processes. Gaining a thorough understanding of these intricate interactions has implications in terms of addressing psychiatric disorders related to stress. This review sheds light on the complex interactions between cognitive processes, emotions, and their neural bases. In this endeavor, our aim is to reshape the comprehension of fear, stress, and their implications for emotional well-being, ultimately aiding in the development of therapeutic interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Translational Research in Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases: From In Vitro to In Vivo Models, from Animals to Humans, from Qualitative to Quantitative Methods, 3rd Edition)

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