Neurodegenerative diseases harm our brain cells in a few important ways:
Wrong Protein Shapes: Sometimes, proteins in the brain don’t fold correctly. For example, beta-amyloid proteins can build up in Alzheimer's, and α-synuclein can gather in Parkinson's. This messes with how cells work.
Too Much Oxygen Damage: Our cells can get hurt from too many reactive oxygen species (ROS). When there’s too much of this damage, it can lead to cell death. In conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), this oxygen damage is a big problem.
Too Much Excitement: Some brain signals can get too strong. When glutamate receptors are overactivated, especially NMDA receptors, too much calcium floods into cells. This can lead to cell death, which is seen in Huntington's disease.
Swelling and Inflammation: When inflammation happens in the brain, it can release harmful substances called cytokines and activate other brain cells, which can end up killing more neurons.
Understanding these issues is really important for finding better treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Neurodegenerative diseases harm our brain cells in a few important ways:
Wrong Protein Shapes: Sometimes, proteins in the brain don’t fold correctly. For example, beta-amyloid proteins can build up in Alzheimer's, and α-synuclein can gather in Parkinson's. This messes with how cells work.
Too Much Oxygen Damage: Our cells can get hurt from too many reactive oxygen species (ROS). When there’s too much of this damage, it can lead to cell death. In conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), this oxygen damage is a big problem.
Too Much Excitement: Some brain signals can get too strong. When glutamate receptors are overactivated, especially NMDA receptors, too much calcium floods into cells. This can lead to cell death, which is seen in Huntington's disease.
Swelling and Inflammation: When inflammation happens in the brain, it can release harmful substances called cytokines and activate other brain cells, which can end up killing more neurons.
Understanding these issues is really important for finding better treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.