Prominent researchers and clinicians dissect the signaling pathways of an array of neuroprotective factors, ranging from neurotrophins (NGF, BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4/5) to growth factors (bFGF, IGF-1, GDNF), to cytokines (TNF, IL-1b, and TGFb), to secreted amyloid precursor proteins, to protease nexin-1. Also treated are cytoprotective signaling events that occur with injured neurons independently of intercellular signals. In elucidating the molecular cascades evolved by the nervous system to protect itself, the contributors lay the basis for powerful new drug discovery and gene therapy strategies, and shed light on potential effective strategies for preventing neuron degeneration in such conditions as stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
