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0:00
Hi, my name is Robert Zorec,
and today, I will talk about
noradrenergic hypothesis
of neurodegeneration
and astroglia.
0:11
Our lab has this program that we would
like to translate basic findings
on understanding how
subcellular vesicle traffic
and membrane fusion
contribute to diseases.
This is the basis to try to
translate the findings to therapy.
There are two directions.
One is cancer.
Based on studying lysosomal
heterologous fusion,
we have developed a
cell-based immunotherapy
to treat prostate cancer
and this treatment is already
available for patients.
Today, I will talk about
neurological indications.
Here, by understanding vesicle
dynamics and signaling
and cell metabolism
in astrocytes,
we aim to develop small
molecules that are targeting
aerobic glycolysis in
neurodegeneration.
0:59
Neurodegeneration and dementia.
Dementia is
characterized clinically
by the slow progressive decline
of two or more cognitive domains.
And these include
language, memory,
executive function,
personality or behavior.
The most common form of dementia
is Alzheimer's disease,
which accounts about 80%
of dementia diagnoses.
Dementia associates with
the loss of neurons,
hence the name
neurodegeneration.
However, this may primarily result
as a failure of homeostatic cells,
astrocytes which
support neurons.
1:36
In this lecture, we
will first discuss
the noradrenergic
system in thinking.
That is, attention,
awareness, and alertness.
Then we will briefly
mention lead hypotheses
for understanding
Alzheimer's disease.
And then we'll go to astrocytes
in neurodegeneration,
where we will more explicitly discuss
adrenergic control of astrocytes,
which means morphology,
vesicles, and metabolism.
