In the past two decades there have been significant advances made in understanding the cellular and molecular alterations that occur with brain ageing, as well as with our understanding of age-related brain diseases. Ageing is associated with a mid-life decline in many cognitive domains (eg. Attention, working memory, episodic memory) that progresses with advancing age and which may be potentiated by a variety of diseases. However, despite the breadth of attempts to explain it, the underlying basis for age-related memory impairment remains poorly understood. Both normal and “pathological” ageing (as in age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease) may be associated with overlapping and increased levels of “abnormal” pathology, and this may be a potential mediator of cognitive decline in both populations. An emerging hypothesis in this field is that metal ion dys/homeostasis may represent a primary unifying mechanism to explain age- and disease-associated memory impairment – either indirectly via an effect on disease pathogenesis, or by a direct effect on signaling pathways relevant to learning and memory. There remains a concerted worldwide effort to deliver an effective therapeutic treatment for cognitive decline associated with ageing and/or disease, which is currently an unmet need. There have been numerous clinical trials conducted specifically testing drugs to prevent cognitive decline and progression to dementia, but to date the results have been less than impressive, highlighting the urgent need for a greater understanding of the neurobiological basis of memory impairment in ageing and disease which can then drive the search for effective therapeutics.

Research studies demonstrate diet and proper nutrition in conjunction with cognitive, mental, social, and physical activities can significantly help in improving brain health with advancing age, and potentially reduce the risk of cognitive decline. These studies of phytopharmaceuticals and medicinal plants, demonstrate the efficacy of Huperzine A, berry anthocyanins, trans-resveratrol, Ginkgo biloba, Bacopa monniera, Centella asiatica, tocotrienols, and palm oil in boosting brain health and physical well-being. In addition, consumption of marine fishes and general seafood is recommended for long-term nutritional intervention to preserve mental health, hinder neurodegenerative processes, and sustain cognitive capacities in humans. Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, n-3/n-6 PUFAs, flavonoids, and antioxidants prevent the initiation and progression of many neurological disorders. This book is a comprehensive review of phytopharmaceuticals impacting brain health with emphasis on diverse applications in food and nutrition sciences, biomedicine, neurology and other scientific and medical fields. It details available methods and contains numerous references making this the perfect guide for scientists who want to explore the fascinating world of phytopharmaceuticals with relation to brain health. Phytopharmaceuticals for Brain Health appeals to a diverse range of readers in industry, medical doctors, research and academia, including biologists, biochemists, food scientists, nutritionists and health professionals. Overall, this book brings a classic scenario of neurological problems to possible amelioration using novel nutraceuticals and functional foods.

This comprehensive reference provides a detailed overview of current concepts regarding the cause of Parkinson's disease-emphasizing the issues involved in the design, implementation, and analysis of epidemiological studies of parkinsonism.

The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.

The editor of this volume, having research interests in the field of ROS production and the damage to cellular systems, has identified a number of enzymes showing ·OH scavenging activities details of which are anticipated to be published in the near future as confirmatory experiments are awaited. It is hoped that the information presented in this book on NDs will stimulate both expert and novice researchers in the field with excellent overviews of the current status of research and pointers to future research goals. Clinicians, nurses as well as families and caregivers should also benefit from the material presented in handling and treating their specialised cases. Also the insights gained should be valuable for further understanding of the diseases at molecular levels and should lead to development of new biomarkers, novel diagnostic tools and more effective therapeutic drugs to treat the clinical problems raised by these devastating diseases.

This volume covers the dramatic developments that have occurred in basic neuroscience and clinical research in cognitive neurology and dementia. It is based on the clinical approach to the patient, and provides essential knowledge that is fundamental to clinical practice.

Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a priority in biomedical research and a pre-requisite to improve early disease diagnosis and ultimately to developing disease-modifying strategies. In the past decade and a half, geneticists have identified several genes that are involved in the molecular pathogenesis of PD. They not only identified gene variants segregating with familial forms of PD but also genetic risk factors of sporadic PD via genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Understanding how PD genes and their gene products function holds the promise of unraveling key PD pathogenic processes. Therefore the precise cellular role of PD proteins is currently the subject of intense investigation. Interestingly, a number of PD proteins have enzymatic functions, including kinase, GTPase or ATPase functions. In the context of understanding disease pathogenesis or developing disease-modifying therapies, enzymes possess several useful features. Firstly, enzymes are often key elements of cellular signaling networks, acting as on-off switches to determine signaling intensity. For instance, kinases mediate phosphorylation events, which activate or inactivate their substrates, while GTPases modulate activity of their effector proteins via direct interaction in a GDP/GTP dependent manner. ATPases also control cellular processes through their involvement in cellular energy production and/or in transmembrane transport. Secondly, enzymes are attractive targets for therapeutics development. This is exemplified by the growing number of kinase inhibitors approved for clinical use, while compounds modulating GTPases or ATPases have also been proposed as potential therapeutics. Finally, as elements in cellular signaling networks, enzymes are not generally constitutively active but subject to further regulation through additional signaling components. Knowledge of how PD kinases, GTPases and ATPases are activated or inactivated can aid in understanding how PD signaling networks are deregulated in disease and point to new possibilities in targeting pathological signaling processes. The objective of this research topic is to provide an overview of current knowledge on the regulation of cellular signaling networks of PD kinases, GTPases and ATPases. Both upstream and downstream signaling events will be covered, with a focus on molecular events that can readily be monitored (relevance as disease biomarkers) and have a potential to be modulated (relevance as potential therapeutic target).