Biography
Biography: Xin Wang
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and rare chronic neurodegenerative disease. Multiple mechanisms proposed as responsible for ALS pathogenesis include mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, glutamate excitotoxicity, and protein degradation. Because riluzole, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment, prolongs the ALS patient’s life by only 3 months, new therapeutic treatments that may delay disease onset, slow progression, prolong survival, and ultimately reduce the burden of disease are urgently needed. The impact of various small pharmacological compounds targeting the proposed pathogenic mechanisms of ALS will be summarized. Furthermore, melatonin, an agonist of melatonin receptors, delays disease onset, extends lifespan, and slows progression of mSOD1G93A ALS transgenic mice will be discussed.