Wang Yuan, Ji Xunming, Leak Rehana K, Chen Fenghua, Cao Guodong
Departments of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital University of Medicine, Beijing 100053, China.
Departments of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital University of Medicine, Beijing 100053, China.
Ageing Res Rev. 2017 Mar;34:39-50. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2016.11.002. Epub 2016 Nov 19.
Aging, a complex process associated with various structural, functional and metabolic changes in the brain, is an important risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. These diseases share similar neuropathological changes, such as the formation of misfolded proteins, oxidative stress, loss of neurons and synapses, dysfunction of the neurovascular unit (NVU), reduction of self-repair capacity, and motor and/or cognitive deficiencies. In addition to gray matter dysfunction, the plasticity and repair capacity of white matter also decrease with aging and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Aging not only renders patients more susceptible to these disorders, but also attenuates their self-repair capabilities. In addition, low drug responsiveness and intolerable side effects are major challenges in the prevention and treatment of senile diseases. Thus, stem cell therapies-characterized by cellular plasticity and the ability to self-renew-may be a promising strategy for aging-related brain disorders. Here, we review the common pathophysiological changes, treatments, and the promises and limitations of stem cell therapies in age-related neurodegenerative diseases and stroke.
衰老，是一个与大脑各种结构、功能和代谢变化相关的复杂过程，是神经退行性疾病和中风的重要危险因素。这些疾病具有相似的神经病理学变化，如错误折叠蛋白的形成、氧化应激、神经元和突触的丧失、神经血管单元（NVU）功能障碍、自我修复能力降低以及运动和/或认知缺陷。除了灰质功能障碍外，白质的可塑性和修复能力也会随着衰老而下降，并导致神经退行性疾病。衰老不仅使患者更容易患这些疾病，还会削弱他们的自我修复能力。此外，药物反应性低和难以耐受的副作用是老年疾病预防和治疗中的主要挑战。因此，以细胞可塑性和自我更新能力为特征的干细胞疗法可能是治疗衰老相关脑部疾病的一种有前景的策略。在这里，我们综述了衰老相关神经退行性疾病和中风中常见的病理生理变化、治疗方法以及干细胞疗法的前景和局限性。
