Morphological changes in Parkinson's disease based on magnetic resonance imaging: A mini-review of subcortical structures segmentation and shape analysis

Huntington's Disease: A Report of an Interesting Case and Literature Review

Huntington's disease (HD), referred to as Huntington's chorea, is an infrequent neurodegenerative ailment with an autosomal-dominant inheritance pattern characterized by the progressive deterioration of GABAergic neurons in the basal ganglia. Other ones include subcortical-type dementia, behavioral abnormalities, midlife psychosis, and gradual inadvertent choreoathetosis movements. HD is characterized by atrophy of the dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus and putamen) with concurrent expansion of the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles on imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A molecular study validates the diagnosis of HD by identifying the disorder's hallmark amplified CAG triplet. Currently, there is no cure for HD, and treatment focuses on providing supportive care and managing the symptoms. Multidisciplinary approaches involving healthcare professionals, neurologists, and psychiatrists are crucial for comprehensive management. Medications are used to alleviate motor symptoms and manage psychiatric manifestations. Physical and occupational therapies help maintain functional abilities and improve quality of life. Genetic counseling and psychosocial support are essential for patients and their families. An additional crucial objective entails advancing more precise and dependable techniques for the timely identification and assessment of HD. Timely interventions and improved symptom management are made possible by early diagnosis. Based on clinical and imaging findings, we present a case of HD in a 62-year-old female.

The Potentiality of Natural Products and Herbal Medicine as Novel Medications for Parkinson's Disease: A Promising Therapeutic Approach

As the global population ages, the prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) is steadily on the rise. PD demonstrates chronic and progressive characteristics, and many cases can transition into dementia. This increases societal and economic burdens, emphasizing the need to find effective treatments. Among the widely recognized causes of PD is the abnormal accumulation of proteins, and autophagy dysfunction accelerates this accumulation. The resultant Lewy bodies are also commonly found in Alzheimer's disease patients, suggesting an increased potential for the onset of dementia. Additionally, the production of free radicals due to mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to neuronal damage and degeneration. The activation of astrocytes and the M1 phenotype of microglia promote damage to dopamine neurons. The drugs currently used for PD only delay the clinical progression and exacerbation of the disease without targeting its root cause, and come with various side effects. Thus, there is a demand for treatments with fewer side effects, with much potential offered by natural products. In this study, we reviewed a total of 14 articles related to herbal medicines and natural products and investigated their relevance to possible PD treatment. The results showed that the reviewed herbal medicines and natural products are effective against lysosomal disorder, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation, key mechanisms underlying PD. Therefore, natural products and herbal medicines can reduce neurotoxicity and might improve both motor and non-motor symptoms associated with PD. Furthermore, these products, with their multi-target effects, enhance bioavailability, inhibit antibiotic resistance, and might additionally eliminate side effects, making them good alternative therapies for PD treatment.