Dysregulated Peripheral Metabolism in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS) are relatively common and devastating neurological disorders. Several reported evidences suggest existence of a strong link between metabolic syndrome and neurodegeneration. One common pathophysiological change observed in neurodegenerative diseases is a change in the metabolic function of nervous system and peripheral cells. Process of glycolysis which results in generation of ATP has been reported to be abnormal in the peripheral cells of AD, PD, and MS. A better understanding of how glycolysis in peripheral cells changes in NDDs is important as it can allow development of biomarkers from easily accessible cells. Additionally, a new therapeutic can be developed for different NDDs that target peripheral glycolysis that could modify the course of the disease.