This literature review compares synapse degeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD). Synapse degeneration is a typical pathogenic characteristic of various neurodegenerative diseases, and it contributes to the progression of cognitive and motor impairment. This review summarizes current research on the molecular causes of synapse degeneration as well as the distinctive characteristics of each illness that contribute to synapse loss. The comparative analysis further uncovers certain similarities in synapse degeneration between these diseases, such as abnormal protein aggregation and decreased mitochondrial function, and underlying mechanistic contributions, but also exposes distinctions in the affected brain circuits and patterns of synaptic susceptibility. Lastly, the conclusion of this review will explore potential treatment options that may target synapse degeneration in various disorders and emphasizes the need for more research to understand the complicated interaction between synapse degeneration and other neuropathological characteristics.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/48355 |
| Date | 07 March 2024 |
| Creators | Okumus, Meryem |
| Contributors | Taylor, Andrew |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | Attribution 4.0 International, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
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