Novos alvos farmacológicos para as doenças neurodegenerativas: Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica e Doença de Huntington

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide. Progressive damage relating to neuronal loss have serious consequences related to the mental and physical health of thepatient. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 6.8 million people die each year as a result of neurological diseases. In international studies the incidence was 1.89 / 100,000 / year and the prevalence ranged from 2.7 to 7.4 / 100,000 (WORMS, 2001). Data from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS, 2013), show that more than 12,000 people in the USA have definitive diagnosis for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), with a prevalence of 3.9 cases per 100,000 people. Although differences are found in the geographic prevalence of Huntington's disease (HD), the disorder is observed around the world, affecting 5 to 8 per 100,000 persons (Warby, Visscher et al., 2011). The mechanisms by which ALS and DH cause neuronal death are still fully elucidated. And despite all the efforts of the scientific community, yet there is currently no cure or way to slow the progression of these diseases. In this review we will cover some treatments trying to prevent the progress of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington's disease.