From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD), primarily affect the central nervous system, leading to progressive neuronal loss and motor and cognitive dysfunction. However, recent studies have revealed that muscle...

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Main Authors: Elisa Duranti, Chiara Villa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/9/719
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author Elisa Duranti
Chiara Villa
author_facet Elisa Duranti
Chiara Villa
author_sort Elisa Duranti
collection DOAJ
description Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD), primarily affect the central nervous system, leading to progressive neuronal loss and motor and cognitive dysfunction. However, recent studies have revealed that muscle tissue also plays a significant role in these diseases. ALS is characterized by severe muscle wasting as a result of motor neuron degeneration, as well as alterations in gene expression, protein aggregation, and oxidative stress. Muscle atrophy and mitochondrial dysfunction are also observed in AD, which may exacerbate cognitive decline due to systemic metabolic dysregulation. PD patients exhibit muscle fiber atrophy, altered muscle composition, and α-synuclein aggregation within muscle cells, contributing to motor symptoms and disease progression. Systemic inflammation and impaired protein degradation pathways are common among these disorders, highlighting muscle tissue as a key player in disease progression. Understanding these muscle-related changes offers potential therapeutic avenues, such as targeting mitochondrial function, reducing inflammation, and promoting muscle regeneration with exercise and pharmacological interventions. This review emphasizes the importance of considering an integrative approach to neurodegenerative disease research, considering both central and peripheral pathological mechanisms, in order to develop more effective treatments and improve patient outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-4c301b89847b4b0fba1537ae9fe0fea72025-08-20T01:56:00ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372024-09-0113971910.3390/biology13090719From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative DisordersElisa Duranti0Chiara Villa1School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, ItalySchool of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, ItalyNeurodegenerative diseases (NDs), like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD), primarily affect the central nervous system, leading to progressive neuronal loss and motor and cognitive dysfunction. However, recent studies have revealed that muscle tissue also plays a significant role in these diseases. ALS is characterized by severe muscle wasting as a result of motor neuron degeneration, as well as alterations in gene expression, protein aggregation, and oxidative stress. Muscle atrophy and mitochondrial dysfunction are also observed in AD, which may exacerbate cognitive decline due to systemic metabolic dysregulation. PD patients exhibit muscle fiber atrophy, altered muscle composition, and α-synuclein aggregation within muscle cells, contributing to motor symptoms and disease progression. Systemic inflammation and impaired protein degradation pathways are common among these disorders, highlighting muscle tissue as a key player in disease progression. Understanding these muscle-related changes offers potential therapeutic avenues, such as targeting mitochondrial function, reducing inflammation, and promoting muscle regeneration with exercise and pharmacological interventions. This review emphasizes the importance of considering an integrative approach to neurodegenerative disease research, considering both central and peripheral pathological mechanisms, in order to develop more effective treatments and improve patient outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/9/719muscleneurodegenerative diseasestherapy
spellingShingle Elisa Duranti
Chiara Villa
From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Biology
muscle
neurodegenerative diseases
therapy
title From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders
title_full From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders
title_fullStr From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders
title_full_unstemmed From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders
title_short From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders
title_sort from brain to muscle the role of muscle tissue in neurodegenerative disorders
topic muscle
neurodegenerative diseases
therapy
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/9/719
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