title: Energetics in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases.
abstract: Mitochondria have been linked to both necrotic and apoptotic cell death, which are thought to have a major role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Recent evidence shows that nuclear gene defects affecting mitochondrial function have a role in the pathogenesis of Friedreich's ataxia, Wilson's disease and hereditary spastic paraplegia. There is also accumulating evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction might have a role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. If this is so, a number of therapeutic targets are implicated that might result in novel treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Neurology and Neuroscience, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and the New York Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Beal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics*; D009336:Necrosis; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial