Modulation of adult neurogenesis in mouse models of neurodegenerative disease

Adult neurogenesis is affected in neurodegenerative diseases and also represents an important therapeutic target. The goal of this dissertation research was to test the hypothesis that regeneration of neurons and glia in the adult brain can be manipulated by neurotrophic drugs in the context of two mouse models of neurodegenerative disease : Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.... These findings have implications for the pathophysiology of Huntington's disease and neurodegeneration in general. Specific alterations to the SVZ neurogenic niche parallel some of the pre-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. This dissertation research contributes to the growing body of literature concerning the pharmacological modulation of SVZ-derived neurogenesis designed to attenuate the progressive loss of neurons in neurodegenerative diseases and perhaps delay the onset of symptoms.