The role of epigenetic mechanisms in the function and homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS) and its regulation in diseases is one of the most interesting processes of contemporary neuroscience. In the last decade, a growing body of literature suggests that long-term changes in gene transcription associated with CNS's regulation and neurological disorders are mediated via modulation of...

The accumulation of glutamate in the brain is toxic to neurons and therefore must be tightly regulated. Expressed predominantly on astrocytes, glutamate transporter-1 (GLT1) is responsible for the majority of glutamate clearance from the extracellular space in the forebrain (Figure 1). Due to its importance in glutamate homeostasis and consequently maintaining neuronal health, dysregulation of ...

Stem cell therapy is under investigation in neurological diseases with currently sub optimal or no treatment available. They are hypothesized to produce new cells, or act as “chaperones or scaffolds” to repair and reconstruct neuronal circuitry and release the relevant neurotransmitters for ultimate functional improvement in the individual. They have the potential either to divide or multiply o...

Folic acid (folate) levels were measured in the serum of patients with various neurological diseases in Japan. Thirty-six patients showed decreased serum folate levels among 343 consecutive neurological patients (10.5%). Folate administration (15 mg/d) to folate-deficient patients improved neurological symptoms in 24 of 36 cases (67%). Serum folate levels were significantly lower in female than...