Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: The presence of Tau pathology is strongly associated with the clinical symptoms and cognitive decline found in Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that targeting pathological tau may be a more effective therapeutic approach. Microglia have been implicated in tauopathies as their activation is strongly related to the progression of tau phosphorylation and aggregation potentially due to dysfunctional lysosomal activity. Cannabinoid type 2 receptors (CB2) are highly expressed in immune cells and upregulated in activated microglia under conditions of neurologic disease, such as AD.

Preclinical assessment of stem cell therapies for neurological diseases.

Stem cells, as subjects of study for use in treating neurological diseases, are envisioned as a replacement for lost neurons and glia, a means of trophic support, a therapeutic vehicle, and, more recently, a tool for in vitro modeling to understand disease and to screen and personalize treatments. In this review we analyze the requirements of stem cell-based therapy for clinical translation, advances in stem cell research toward clinical application for neurological disorders, and different animal models used for analysis of these potential therapies. We focus on Parkinson's disease (typically defined by the progressive loss of dopaminergic nigral neurons), stroke (neurodegeneration associated with decreased blood perfusion in the brain), and multiple sclerosis (an autoimmune disorder that generates demyelination, axonal damage, astrocytic scarring, and neurodegeneration in the brain and spinal cord).