Advances in the Research of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dietary Neuroprotective Agents

Dear Colleagues,

The incidence of dementia is increasing at an alarming rate, representing a major modern public health concern. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder with a rising incidence among elderly people, is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by progressive cognitive impairment. The precise etiology of AD is not fully clarified but is known to be complex and multifactorial, with a notable overlap between familial and non-familial forms but also with different forms of dementia, e.g., vascular dementia.

AD is characterized by chronic, progressive neurodegeneration, which involves early synaptotoxicity and, only at later stages, overt neuronal loss and associated brain atrophy.

Beyond the conventional Ab- and tau-targeted approaches, current knowledge about the pathophysiology of AD continues to grow and new findings related to synaptic dysfunction and neuroinflammation are the current focus. Particularly, aberrant-activated microglia and neurotoxic astrocytes have been identified, and the involvement of the complement system in synaptic pruning mechanisms and mitochondrial dysfunction appear to be important mediators, all of which may contribute to synaptic loss and cognitive deficits, the hallmarks of AD.

Additionally, the identification of molecular links between Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes mellitus, and other neurodegenerative diseases, is likely to synergistically act in promoting AD pathology, and may help us to understand the early and late molecular mechanisms of AD.

Emerging evidence suggests that bioactive food ingredients (e.g., phytochemicals) may exert beneficial effects on the brain by protecting neurons against stress-induced injury, by suppressing neuroinflammation, and by improving cognitive function. Indeed, certain foods that are particularly rich in bioactive phytochemicals are thought to strongly influence the structure and function of the brain; such foods are commonly referred to as “brain foods”. These bioactives can exert their action by crossing the blood–brain barrier or influencing the brain–gut-microbiome axis. In this regard, the identification of neuroprotective food ingredients, their multiple targets, and their underlying mechanisms of action, has become a promising therapeutic strategy to complement pharmacological interventions for promoting brain health.

In this Special Issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences, we aim to gather innovative and important findings and updated state-of-the-art research that provide a comprehensive view on the molecular mechanisms mediating the pathogenesis of AD. This a unique opportunity, and we invite you to submit original research articles, review articles, or clinical trials targeting the role of dietary phytochemicals on various aspects related to neurodegenerative disorders like AD, supporting the neuroprotective potential of food bioactive compounds. Detailing the mechanisms and their neurotoxic effects at the molecular level is essential for developing new treatment strategies urgently required to fight this devastating disease.

Dr. Gerardo Alvarez-Rivera
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Rammes
Guest Editors

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• neurodegenerative disorders
• brain health
• brain–gut-microbiome axis
• blood–brain barrier assays
• anti-inflammatory activity
• antichlolinergic activity
• antioxidant activity
• bioactive phytochemicals
• mechanisms of neuroprotection
• brain foods
• neuroprotection