The Role of Iron in Prion Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases

A growing number of neurodegenerative conditions, such as sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), are associated with accumulation of iron in the brain. The underlying cause is complex and only partially known. A better understanding of whether iron plays a primary or secondary role in disease pathogenesis is desirable and is likely to help in the development of disease-specific therapeutic strategies.