The incidence of brain diseases brings with it a shocking increase in social and economic burden, which necessitates a greater effort to understand these diseases and find ways to manage, alleviate, or even prevent them. Basic research is key to changing assumptions and to challenging our views about the cause of these diseases, which make up a very large family. This book is a conscientious, thorough, and painstaking attempt to approach the most debilitating conditions that strip away the very fabric of who we are.
A world-class compilation of 11 chapters written by experts in neurodegenerative diseases, this book is an exhaustive study of proteins—now known as metal binding proteins—that cause these anomalies. This is one of the leading fields of new research into brain diseases, and a lot of novel and interesting insights have been gained that may one day lead to the treatment of the most frightening sets of brain conditions that exist. The book contains latest research from leading experts in the field who work on aspects ranging from pure chemistry of metal binding to clinical aspects of the diseases and the use of chelators in possible treatment. A strong emphasis on biochemistry and cell biology make this study all the most interesting and topical. The diseases covered include Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, prion disease, and ALS. The chapters examine such issues as mechanisms of metal binding, metal induced structural changes in proteins, alterations in cellular metal metabolism in disease, and attempts at a therapeutic approach based on protein metal binding.
