The genetic causes of neurodegenerative diseases

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Hardy, John^{; *}

Affiliations: Neurogenetics Laboratories, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL, USA

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Neurogenetics Laboratories, Birdsall Building, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA. E-mail: hardy@mayo.edu

Abstract: With the application of molecular genetics, we are now beginning to understand the etiology and the early stages of pathogenesis of the major neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Pick's disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Surprisingly, these studies are showing that these diseases share pathogenic mechanisms which involve tau or synuclein aggregation. In this article, I review the progress in the molecular genetic analysis of these major neurodegenerative diseases and discuss how they are related to each other.

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-2001-3115

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 109-116, 2001