title: Neurons and mechanisms of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases: a brief review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Degenerative diseases of the central nervous system are a heterogenous group of slowly progressive disorders. A common feature of this group, which includes Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is gradual loss of specific populations of neurons.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of reports about neurodegenerative diseases and their relevant animal models, as well as a brief overview of the normal neuron and mechanisms of neuronal degeneration and death, is presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study of the aforementioned animal models, spontaneously occurring and experimentally induced, have provided important insights into the pathogenesis of these disorders and the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: ZymoGenetics, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Waggie
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kahle
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Tolwani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*