Diagnosing neurodegenerative diseases can prove particularly intimidating to clinicians, because many times the diagnosis cannot be critically "confirmed" by a simple test. New imaging modalities have advanced to the point of high resolution, morphological, metabolic and functional analysis. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance, nuclear medicine and molecular imaging have recently emerged as outstanding non-invasive techniques for the study of the neurodegenerative disorders. Imaging in Neurodegenerative Disorders covers all the imaging techniques and new exciting methods like new tracers, biomarker, metabolomic and gene-array profiling, potential for applying such techniques clinically, and offers present and future applications as applied to the neurodegenerative disorders with the most world renowned scientists in these fields. This book is an invaluable resource for researchers, clinicians, and trainees in neuroscience, neurology, psychiatry, and radiology.

This book provides a comprehensive review of the role of molecular imaging in neurodegenerative diseases. A growing field, molecular imaging of neurodegeneration is becoming increasingly relevant with an aging population, and this book serves to provide both an introduction to the concept and background of neurodegeneration and an update on the most recent imaging advances. Throughout, chapters will review current applications of neuroimaging in neurodegenerative disorders, like dementia and movement disorders, and increase knowledge of quantification and semi-quantification methods for neuroimaging. Imaging methods such as PET/CT and PET/MR are covered, as well as more advanced technologies like artificial intelligence algorithms and novel radiotracers. Chapters are also intended to improve competency in reporting and interpretation skills with structured information on current practice. The book concludes with a collection of up to date practice cases for the interpretation of neurodegeneration in nuclear medicine imaging. This is an ideal guide for nuclear medicine physicians, neuroradiologists, neurologists, residents, trainees, and related medical professionals caring for patients with neurodegeneration.

The definitive reference on imaging and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases FIVE STARS from Doody's Star Ratings™ Imaging of Neurodegenerative Disorders is a comprehensive, up-to-date reference covering the latest techniques used in neuroimaging as well as the basic structural imaging that facilitates diagnosis of various neurodegenerative disorders. All advanced imaging modalities, including MR spectroscopy, DTI, MRI, and PET scans, are discussed in detail, enabling readers to gain a solid understanding of how to use them to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases. Key Features: Each chapter covers the clinical features, pathology, and imaging of a specific disease/disorder Sections on cerebellar degeneration and dysfunction, motor neuron disorders, post-traumatic cognitive disorders, dementia with extrapyramidal syndromes, and deep brain stimulation A final section discusses the distinctions between preventable, potentially reversible, and irreversible dementia This book provides radiologists and all who care for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases with an invaluable reference that will be part of their medical library for many years to come.

Provides a timely overview of critical advances in molecular and cellular neurobiology, covers key methodologies driving progress, and highlights key future directions for research on neuronal injury and neurodegeneration relevant to neuronal brain pathologies. The editors bring together contributions from internationally recognized workers in the field to provide an up to date account of how and why molecular and cellular neurobiology is such an important area for clinical neuroscience. Understanding the molecular aspects of a number of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease for the purpose of improving patient management remains a major challenge of neurobiology be it from the basic or clinical perspective. A strategic evaluation of research contributions and the power of modern methods will help advance knowledge over the next years.

Neurodegenerative Disorders provides an accessible guide to the commonest neurodegenerative diseases, outlining the main clinical features, treatment options and outcomes of the conditions most frequently encountered in clinical practice. Beginning with an overview of the general principles that underlie degeneration, and the contribution of established and new diagnostics techniques, the book goes on to describe the most common neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer Disease; Dementia and Cerebrovascular Disease; Parkinson’s Disease; Fronto-Temporal Dementia; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Huntington’s Disease; Parkinsonism Plus syndromes and Prion Diseases. Final chapters cover important management issues including the use of palliative care strategies, advance directives and competence. Written by experts in the field internationally Neurodegenerative Disorders is a practical guide for clinicians that will be indispensable for the management of these conditions.

Neurodegenerative diseases are major contributors to disability and disease, with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases the most prevalent. This major reference reviews the rapidly advancing knowledge of pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in the context of a comprehensive survey of each disease and its clinical features. The editors and contributors are among the leading experts in the field internationally. Covering basic science, diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches, the book focuses on all aspects of neurodegenerative disease, including the normal aging process. The dementias, prion diseases, Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonisms, neurodegenerative ataxias, motor neuron diseases, degenerative diseases with chorea, iron and copper disorders, and mitochondrial diseases, are all methodically presented and discussed, with extensive illustrations. In each case the underlying genetics, neuropathological and clinical issues are fully reviewed, making this the most complete as well as the most authoritative reference available to clinicians and neuroscientists.

Smart Diagnostics for Neurodegenerative Disorders: Neuro-sensors explores all available biosensor-based approaches and technologies as well as their use in the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic management of a variety of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and epileptic disorders. The book also discusses contemporary and revolutionary biosensor platforms that are being used to produce a quantitative quick lab-on-a-chip point-of-care (POC) assay for several types of predictive and diagnostic biomarkers linked with neurodegenerative disorders. It offers a combinatorial strategy for learning recent advances and designing new biosensor-based technologies in the fields of medical science, engineering and biomedical technology. Early detection of neurological conditions has the potential to treat the disease and extend the life expectancy of patients. Recent improvements in biosensor-based approaches that target specific cell surface biomarkers can be used for early detection of neurodegenerative disease. - Provides an in-depth understanding of biomarkers associated with neurodegenerative disease to build and create a variety of biosensors - Presents biosensor-based strategies to create and construct enhanced platforms for quick diagnosis of biomarkers linked to a variety of neurological illnesses - Discusses the current challenges and future trends in developing diagnostic devices for early detection of neurodegenerative disorders, presenting new avenues for more sensitive and selective point-of-care devices

Inflammation of the brain in the context of neurodegenerative disorders is an area of intense debate and discussion, not least in terms of its pathogenic significance and the extent to which it drives disease processes and pathology. This inflammation can take several forms including innate responses recruiting microglia, humoral responses involving antibody, complement mediated processes and cellular T-cell activation, of which the role and extent of each may differ between diseases. Whilst some diseases have been more intensely linked to inflammation and long-term degeneration (e.g. MS), more traditional chronic neurodegenerative disorders have been thought of in terms of intrinsic neuronal pathology with a secondary innate response. However, it has been described that microglia activation is an early event of many degenerative disorders and evidence is accumulating that it may play a critical role in actually causing pathology and driving disease processes. If true, this would have major therapeutic implications, but what is the evidence that this is the case? The initial observations by Patrick McGeer’s group of post-mortem tissue from patients with Parkinson’s disease revealed the presence of activated brain microglia and has thus lead to the hypothesis that chronic inflammation could participate to neuronal degenerative processes. The significance of these original observations has only been recently revisited, and the development of more powerful tools to study the brain immune response has certainly contributed to this field of research. Chronic inflammation in the brain can take many forms but of particular interest has been the resident microglia and the role they play in this process. In this context, microglia have often been thought to become activated only after the disease has begun and then to contribute minimally to the degenerative process. Emerging new concepts challenge this view by proposing that microglial senescence, for example, may release the disease process and/or accelerate it. In addition, microglia, once activated, can adopt different phenotypes which can be both pro-inflammatory and pro-repair and may impact not only on the healthy adult neuronal population but on those new neurons derived from neurogenic niches of the adult brain. In this Research Topic, we attempt to explore this by first considering the innate immune responses in the brain and the methods by which they can be studied experimentally and in patients with various neurodegenerative disorders. This sets the scene for then discussing a range of different disorders including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These papers seek to discuss the evidence for an innate immune response and whether this is beneficial or detrimental, as well as its therapeutic implications.