Research progress on the Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway in the central nervous system: Novel insights

Over the past few decades, the Sonic Hedgehog protein has become a pivotal player in many biological processes, including tumourigenesis, embryonic development, and protective mechanisms after cerebral damage. The Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway is crucial in the central nervous system, with implications in a diverse range of diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, depression, Sonic Hedgehog medulloblastoma, and stroke. In this comprehensive review, we examined Sonic Hedgehog from the perspective of canonical and non-canonical pathways, elucidating their complex connections to the central nervous system. Subsequently, we summarize the latest advancements in drug therapies that offer novel strategies for treating neurological diseases by modulating the Sonic Hedgehog protein. Finally, we summarize and extend the technologies and tools for studying the Sonic Hedgehog signaling field, with the aim of providing new research ideas and methods.