title: Current Neurogenic and Neuroprotective Strategies to Prevent and Treat Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Disorders.
abstract: The adult central nervous system is commonly known to have a very limited regenerative capacity. The presence of functional stem cells in the brain can therefore be seen as a paradox, since in other organs these are known to counterbalance cell loss derived from pathological conditions. This fact has therefore raised the possibility to stimulate neural stem cell differentiation and proliferation or survival by either stem cell replacement therapy or direct administration of neurotrophic factors or other proneurogenic molecules, which in turn has also originated regenerative medicine for the treatment of otherwise incurable neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders that take a huge toll on society. This may be facilitated by the fact that many of these disorders converge on similar pathophysiological pathways: excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial failure, excessive intracellular calcium and apoptosis. This review will therefore focus on the most promising achievements in promoting neuroprotection and neuroregeneration reported to date.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal. domingos@ff.up.pt.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D016380:Brain Tissue Transplantation; D003474:Curcumin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009479:Neuropeptides; D014212:Tretinoin; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: Curcuminoids; Neural stem cells; Neurodegenerative disorders; Neurogenesis; Neurotrophic factors; Retinoic acid