title: Neurodegenerative disorders--4th annual SMi conference.
abstract: The prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases in the Western World and Japan is predicted to increase sharply as a consequence of the rapidly aging population. To discuss the development of therapeutics in this increasingly important field, the 2-day Neurodegenerative Disorders SMi meeting once again brought together delegates from both large pharmaceutical companies and smaller technology and analysis companies. The majority of presentations focused on Alzheimer's disease, one of the gravest of such conditions that affects approximately half of all people aged 90 years, and on Parkinson's disease. As well as disclosing new therapeutic targets and preclinical and clinical data for drugs in development, several presentations discussed the development of surrogate markers and imaging techniques to monitor disease progression and therapeutic efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Thomson Scientific, Middlesex House, 34-42 Cleveland Street, London, W1T 4JE, UK. tom.phillips@thomson.com
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors