Proteopathic Seeds and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Abstract

Reviews the book, Proteopathic Seeds and Neurodegenerative Diseases edited by Mathias Jucker and Yves Christen (2013). This volume, edited by specialists from Germany and France, showcases the papers presented at a meeting held in February 2012 in Paris and is intended to further stimulate research in the pathogenesis of proteinopathies, based on the concept of prion-like transformation of protein structures as a promising concept for the understanding and treatment of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. The volume contains nine chapters written by a panel of international experts. The prion-like aspect of Alzheimer disease is reported by a group of authors, speculating that environmental amyloid seeds might act as risk factors for several neurodegenerative disorders. The chapters are dedicated to amyloid-beta transmissibility and prion-like properties of assembled tau protein, whilst a group working with P. Brundin presents data suggesting that Parkinson disease is a prion-like disorder explaining the spread of the pathology between brain regions causing progression of disease. All chapters are concise and well presented, with many informative subtitles, figures and extensive reference lists, providing a timely overview of the prion concept in neurodegenerative diseases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)