Biochemical aspects of dementias

Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and prion diseases are age-related neurodegenerative disorders associated with a progressive decline of cognitive brain functions. Due to the increase in prevalence rates, and the rising costs associated with clinical and social care, treatments designed to prevent or reverse these diseases are urgently needed. The most common major biochemical characteristic of these neurodegenerative diseases is the deposition of abnormal protein aggregates in brain. The decryption of the mechanisms of aggregation and associated neurotoxicity may reveal new therapeutic targets, which will enable treatment for these devastating conditions.