Neurodegenerative Diseases and Potential Early Detection Methods

Neurodegenerative diseases create a significant financial and emotional toll on society. Prion diseases are a type of progressive neurodegenerative diseases that are irreversible and fatal. They are characterized by long incubation periods and defective protein folding that make them infectious. Other neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s also have similar characteristics and are hence called prion-like diseases. Historically, these diseases were unable to be clearly diagnosed until significant progression had taken place. In fact, many diagnoses were not made until post mortem examination was performed. Early detection of these diseases is key to finding a cure. Other bodily structures could possibly reveal clues related to the presence of neurodegenerative disease. In this review, we introduce and explain the nature of the diseases, current detection methods and the future of early detection methods.