Literature Database
This section of our site provides information regarding some of the topics closely associated to our current or planned research projects; please use the links below to access information regarding the specific topics:
Links
to other Web sites concerned with
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Please use
the
Search
forms to search for any keywords or phrases in the information provided
in the hyperlinks or any other part of this web site.
Also, for convenience, feel free
to use the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary/Thesaurus search box below:
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Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), or Parkinson's disease (PD) are characterized by progressive loss of neurons which, over time, leads to neurodegeneration and resulting disability.
Cell membranes consist of a bilayer primarily
composed of various phospholipids, cholesterol, and integral (imbedded)
proteins that function as cell-surface receptors, enzymes, and various
transporters. The fatty acid (FA) composition of phospholipids
determines biophysical (and functional) characteristics of membranes
(e.g., membrane "fluidity"), and plays an important role in cellular
integrity, and intra and intercellular communication (signaling).
Furthermore, there is abundant literature evidence (see below) that essential
fatty acids (EFAs), and especially polyunsaturated fatty acids
(PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA)1 and
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)2
(see Figure 1),
play fundamental role in development and proper functioning of the nervous
system; consequently, the EFA composition of membrane phospholipids
likely plays a direct role in a variety of cellular and multicellular processes,
including inflammation and immunity, with implications for neurodegenerative
diseases. The links below provide recent literature overview of
relevant topics.
Click on the image thumbnail (upper right) to see a larger image of a 3D model
of DHA in a separate
window.
Please note that the links below lead to published references selected by the keyword(s) associated with a given link; e.g., the "Cortisol reviews" link below contains 92 references found using the search keywords "cortisol" and selecting for "review" references published in 2003-2004.
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1Docosahexaenoic acid or
DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid with six cis double bonds and 22
carbons (22:6n-3).
2Eicosapentaenoic
acid or EPA is an omega-3 fatty acid with five cis double bonds
and 20 carbons (20:5n-3).
Figure 1. Chemical structure of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Links to other Web sites concerned with
Neurodegenerative Diseases and/or PUFAs:
ALS Therapy Development Foundation
Multiple Sclerosis: Hope Through Research
Neurological Disorder Information
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