Neurotrophic Factors

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XVIII

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2. Biological Roles of Neurotrophins

   • Y.-A. Barde

   Pages 1-31

3. Molecular Anatomy of Neurotrophic Factors

   • C. F. Ibáñez

   Pages 33-51

4. Neurotrophin Treatment of Peripheral Sensory Neuropathies

   • C. A. Rask, E. Escandon

   Pages 53-79

5. Neurotrophic Factors and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

   • M. Sendtner

   Pages 81-117

6. Neuropharmacology of Insulin-Like Growth Factors

   • D. N. Ishii, S.-F. Pu

   Pages 119-146

7. Neurotrophic Factors in Peripheral Nerve Injury and Regeneration

   • N. M. J. Rupniak, J. M. A. Laird, S. Boyce, R. G. Hill

   Pages 147-173

8. Nerve Growth Factor Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Experience of the First Attempt at Intracerebral Neurotrophic Factor Therapy

   • F. Hefti

   Pages 175-187

9. Neurotrophic Roles of GDNF and Related Factors

   • K. Unsicker, C. Suter-Crazzolara, K. Krieglstein

   Pages 189-224

10. Role of Neurotrophic Factors in Cerebral Ischemia

    • K. Nikolics

    Pages 225-253

11. Strategies for Administering Neurotrophic Factors to the Central Nervous System

    • A. F. Hottinger, P. Aebischer

    Pages 255-280

12. Neurotrophic Factor Mimetics

    • C. Swain, S. Harper, S. Pollack, R. Smith, F. Hefti

    Pages 281-309

13. Back Matter

    Pages 311-325

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The pharmacology of neurotrophic factors is part of the general field called neuroprotection or neurodegeneration, which has emerged during the past two decades. This new broad research area has identified molecular mechanisms that regulate the morphological plasticity of the nervous system and, in con­ sequence, discovered novel pharmacological approaches to manipulate these processes in disease states. The new, structural neuropharmacology as de­ scribed in this volume attempts to regulate the anatomic aspects of the nervous system and is perhaps comparable to hardware manipulation in computer systems. In contrast, classical neuropharmacology identified multiple ways to modify the function of existing synapses or ion channels in the nervous system, comparable to software manipulations in the computer field. The pharmacol­ ogy of neurotrophic factor is at an early stage and has not produced any major drugs yet. However, the first quintessential clinical trials have been carried out in the past two years or are currently in progress. Rapid further advances can be expected. The discovery of nerve growth factor (NGF), the first protein known to promote survival and growth of nerve cells, led to the discovery of a family of related proteins, the neurotrophins and their receptors. This concept was generalized to incorporate many other protein families that are included in the functional definition of neurotrophic factors, i. e. , proteins able to regulate survival and differentiation of neurons.

• Alzheimer´s disease
• anatomy
• brain
• brain injury
• cerebral ischemia
• clinical trial
• growth factor
• mutagenesis
• nervous system
• neurons
• neuropharmacology
• pathophysiology
• pharmacology
• physiology
• research

• Merck Sharp & Dohme, Neuroscience Research Centre, Harlow, UK

  Franz Hefti

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