Neuroregeneration: Disease Modeling and Therapeutic Strategies for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are the two most common neurodegenerative diseases accounting for approximately more than 40 million patients worldwide. Progress in the fundamental understanding and effective therapy of these diseases has been hindered by the failure of currently FDA-approved pharmacological agents and the lack of research models that properly recapitulate disease pathology. One promising approach for the treatment of these diseases is regenerative medicine and its associated technologies. The rise of stem cells technology, cellular replacement, gene therapy, and immunomodulation together present an opportunity for novel combination approaches for AD and PD treatment. Additionally, fundamental studies of human-derived cellular environments may enable truly personalized medicine. In this Chapter, we review these technologies for disease modeling and therapeutic intervention in AD and PD and discuss current challenges associated with their clinical translations.