addiction-science-dementia-care-2019-keynote

Addiction Science 2019 & Dementia Care 2019

July 24-25, 2019

Page 13

DEMENTIA AND DEMENTIA CARE

ADVANCES IN ADDICTION SCIENCE AND MEDICINE

July 24-25, 2019 | Rome, Italy

International Conference on

World Congress on

Volume 2

Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and Neuroscience

J Clin Psychiatr Neurosci, Volume 2

Alberto de Bellis

Maria Rosaria Maglione Foundation Onlus, Italy

Nerve growth factor & neuroprotection: State of the art

erve Growth Factor (NGF) is the founding member of the neurotrophins family of proteins, known for playing a

critical protective role in the development and survival of sympathetic, sensory and basal forebrain cholinergic

neurons in mammals, including humans. NGF has a neuroprotective action in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease,

improves memory and reduces cognitive deficits, as showed by several studies in animal models and humans. NGF

can be delivered to the Central Nervous System (CNS) via nasal route and has a neuroprotective action in case of

neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury. Furthermore, recent studies have shown an active link between the nasal

pathway and the spinal cord in the delivery of NGF to the CNS, thus demonstrating the neuroprotective ability of NGF

to support injured neurons in a mouse model of spinal cord injury. Different ways of direct delivery of NGF to the CNS

have been investigated in humans and animal models, including direct CNS infusion, gene therapy approaches, cell-

based delivery using stem cells, and application of an encapsulated cell biodelivery device. All these approaches have the

restriction of being invasive and invasive routes of administration are not optimal for clinical use. Intranasal delivery of

NGF has so far been sufficiently investigated in animal models and only recently in humans, as demonstrated in a recent

study on long-term intranasal administration of NGF in two patients affected by Frontotemporal dementia associated with

corticobasal syndrome (FTD/CBS) and in another study on intranasal administration of NGF in a Brain Injury. These

studies demonstrated the neuroprotective role of NGF administered nasally. Intranasal administration is the most effective

and non-invasive way to deliver NGF to the CNS. These neuroprotective properties of NGF make it a strong candidate for

the future treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and other pathologies of CNS (brain injury, spinal cord injury, ischemic

damage) when administered via nasal route. NGF would not be able to cure the FTD/CBS but these observations support

the hypothesis that NGF slows down the usual decline of the disease. However, these studies reinforce the concept that

neurotrophins are able to reach and protect the CNS via nasal route and open the way for new lines of research. Hence,

these findings suggest the ability of NGF to protect CNS neurons when administered via nasal spray.

Biography

Alberto de Bellis, Neurosurgeon, is the Founder and Chairman of Maria Rosaria Maglione Foundation onlus, non-profit organization for

Neuroscience based in Naples-Italy. The MRM Foundation runs in honor of the founder’s mother, Maria Rosaria Maglione, who suffers from

Frontotemporal dementia. The activity of the MRM foundation is mainly aimed at research and health care for neurodegenerative diseases,

brain tumors and spinal cord injury and in support of partner foundations operating in Kenya-Africa.