title: Brain Aging and Disorders of the Central Nervous System: Kynurenines and Drug Metabolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The kynurenine pathway includes several neuroactive compounds, including kynurenic acid, picolinic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine and quinolinic acid. The enzymatic cascade of the kynurenine pathway is tightly connected with the immune system, and may provide a link between the immune system and neurotransmission. Main Areas Covered: Alterations in this cascade are associated with neurodegenerative, neurocognitive, autoimmune and psychiatric disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, migraine or schizophrenia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review highlights the alterations in this metabolic pathway in the physiological aging process and in different disorders. A survey is also presented of therapeutic possibilities of influencing this metabolic route, which can be achieved through the use of synthetic kynurenic acid analogues, enzyme inhibitors or even nanotechnology.
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Török
authors.forename: Zsófia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Majláth
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fülöp
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, 6 Semmelweis u., H-6725 Szeged, Hungary. vecsei.laszlo@med.u-szeged.hu.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vécsei
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D007737:Kynurenine