Ricerc@Sapienza

how we can improve the therapeutic approach: PD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor dysfunctions (tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and impaired posture/balance) elicited by selective depletion of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta. DA neuron loss is associated with neuronal inclusions of the phosphorylated α-synuclein protein called Lewy body (Shults, 2006).

Introduction: New investigations have shown that 'activated' enteric glial cells (EGCs), astrocyte-like cells of the enteric nervous system (ENS), represent a possible extra-CNS trigger point of the neurodegenerative processes in impaired intestinal permeability conditions. The early modulation of enteric glia-mediated neuroinflammation might optimize neuroprotective treatments outcomes currently used in neurodegenerative diseases. Areas covered: We discussed recent clinical and preclinical data existing on the Pubmed database, concerning the glial role in neurodegeneration.