A Review of the Common Neurodegenerative Disorders: Current Therapeutic Approaches and the Potential Role of Bioactive Peptides

Apr 1, 2024Current protein & peptide science

Common brain diseases that cause memory and movement loss: current treatments and possible benefits of natural peptides

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Abstract

Current therapies for neurodegenerative disorders do not halt or substantially slow the neurodegenerative process.

Alzheimer's disease treatments primarily involve cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists.
Parkinson's disease is commonly treated with dopamine replacement therapies, notably levodopa.
Huntington's disease is managed mainly with symptomatic treatments, while ALS management includes reusable extending survival.
Emerging research into bioactive peptides suggests they may modulate disease processes by targeting specific cellular mechanisms.
Preclinical studies indicate that bioactive peptides could reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein misfolding, common in neurodegenerative diseases.
Clinical trials of bioactive peptides are limited, with some early results showing promise, such as a γ-secretase inhibitor peptide for Alzheimer's.

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Neurodegenerative disorders, which include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), represent a significant and growing global health challenge. Current therapies predominantly focus on symptom management rather than altering disease progression. In this review, we discuss the major therapeutic strategies in practice for these disorders, highlighting their limitations. For AD, the mainstay treatments are cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. For PD, dopamine replacement therapies, including levodopa, are commonly used. HD is managed primarily with symptomatic treatments, and reusable extends survival in ALS. However, none of these therapies halts or substantially slows the neurodegenerative process. In contrast, this review highlights emerging research into bioactive peptides as potential therapeutic agents. These naturally occurring or synthetically designed molecules can interact with specific cellular targets, potentially modulating disease processes. Preclinical studies suggest that bioactive peptides may mitigate oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein misfolding, which are common pathological features in neurodegenerative diseases. Clinical trials using bioactive peptides for neurodegeneration are limited but show promising initial results. For instance, hemiacetal, a γ-secretase inhibitor peptide, has shown potential in AD by reducing amyloid-beta production, though its development was discontinued due to side effects. Despite these advancements, many challenges remain, including identifying optimal peptides, confirming their mechanisms of action, and overcoming obstacles related to their delivery to the brain. Future research should prioritize the discovery and development of novel bioactive peptides and improve our understanding of their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Ultimately, this approach may lead to more effective therapies for neurodegenerative disorders, moving beyond symptom management to potentially modify the course of these devastating diseases.

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