Genetic variation in neurodegenerative diseases and its accessibility in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans.

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases (NGDs) such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are debilitating and largely untreatable conditions strongly linked to age. The clinical, neuropathological, and genetic components of NGDs indicate that neurodegeneration is a complex trait determined by multiple genes and by the environment.

Main Body: The symptoms of NGDs differ among individuals due to their genetic background, and this variation affects the onset and progression of NGD and NGD-like states.