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Gangliosides and Glycolipids in Neurodegenerative Disorders

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Book cover Glycobiology of the Nervous System

Part of the book series: Advances in Neurobiology ((NEUROBIOL,volume 9))

Abstract

Glycolipids and gangliosides play important roles in maintaining the functional integrity of the nervous system. However, surprisingly little is known about how glycolipids and gangliosides in particular participate in various neurodegenerative processes. For example, it has been known for a long time that administration of gangliosides and in particular, GM1 ganglioside, can ameliorate damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems and can mitigate effects of a variety of neurodegenerative processes. What is not known is the extent to which dysfunctional biosynthesis or metabolism of gangliosides may be involved in various neurodegenerative disorders and if alterations observed reflect an intrinsic disease-related process or represent the response of the brain to a degenerative process. This chapter briefly reviews recent advances in the study of glycolipids and gangliosides and their potential participation in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and the potential link between Gaucher disease and Parkinson’s disease.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Alzheimer’s disease

CNS:

Central nervous system

Ca:

Calcium

mg/kg:

Milligram per kilogram

TH:

Tyrosine hydroxylase

HVA:

Homovanillic acid

MPTP:

1-Methyl-4-phenyl 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine

UPDRS:

Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale

APP:

Amyloid precursor protein

Aβ:

Amyloid-beta

BACE1:

Beta-secretase 1

DARP-32:

Dopamine- and cAMP-regulated neuronal phosphoprotein

GBA1:

Beta-glucosidase 1

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Ethics Statement

Some of the research reported in this chapter was supported by NIH grant NS038681. The author declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA

    J. S. Schneider Ph.D.

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  1. J. S. Schneider Ph.D.
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Correspondence to J. S. Schneider Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, Georgia, USA

    Robert K. Yu

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA

    Cara-Lynne Schengrund

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Schneider, J.S. (2014). Gangliosides and Glycolipids in Neurodegenerative Disorders. In: Yu, R., Schengrund, CL. (eds) Glycobiology of the Nervous System. Advances in Neurobiology, vol 9. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1154-7_20

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