Carotid Body Transplants as a Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

Abstract

Affecting over 1.5 million people across the world, Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological condition characterized, in part, by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. It affects 1.5% of the global population over 65 years of age. As life expectancy is increasing, over the next few years the number of patients with Parkinson´s disease will grow exponentially. To date, there are no available treatments that are capable of curing Parkinson´s disease, and the current goal of therapy, dopamine replacement strategies, is to reduce symptoms. After several years of disease progression, treatment is complicated by the onset of motor fluctuations and dyskinesias. This information reveals the great importance and social need of finding an effective therapeutic intervention for Parkinson´s disease. This exemplary new book reviews some of the most outstanding examples of new drugs currently in pharmaceutical development or new targets currently undergoing the validation process to try to reach the Parkinson´s drug market in the next few years as potential disease modifying drugs. Providing up to date and comprehensive coverage, this book will be essential reading for researchers working in academia and industry in any aspect of medicinal chemistry or drug discovery.