Frontiers | Targeting Primary Aging Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Disease

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Background

Aging is the primary risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Despite extensive research on disease-specific mechanisms, emerging evidence suggests that fundamental aging processes, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, proteostasis impairment, genomic instability, and chronic inflammation, play a central role in disease onset and progression. As new research underscores their importance, these mechanisms present a vital target for developing new therapies that inhibit disease progression and preserve neural function. Recent technological advancements in in molecular biology, transcriptomics, and systems biology have furthered our understanding of the relationship between aging and neurodegeneration, paving the way for interventions aimed at delaying disease progression and preserving cognitive and motor functions.

This Research Topic aims to explore how targeting primary aging mechanisms can serve as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. While conventional strategies prioritize disease-specific pathways, the potential of modulating core aging processes like oxidative stress, DNA damage, senescence, and altered proteostasis holds promise for broader therapeutic applications. By bringing together interdisciplinary expertise, this initiative seeks to highlight cutting-edge research on aging-driven neurodegeneration, therapeutic strategies that modulate aging pathways, and translational approaches aimed at extending health span. This topic will also emphasize the role of genetic and epigenetic regulators, metabolic interventions, and novel pharmacological and gene therapy approaches that modulate aging processes to counteract neurodegeneration.

We welcome contributions that investigate fundamental aging mechanisms in neurodegeneration and potential therapeutic interventions. Submissions may include original research, reviews, mini-reviews, and methodological papers covering topics such as:

- Mitochondrial dysfunction and bioenergetics in neurodegenerative conditions
- Proteostasis, autophagy, and targeting the unfolded protein response (UPR)
- Epigenetic and transcriptional dynamics in aging and neurodegeneration
- DNA damage responses and repair in aged neural systems
- The role of RNA dysfunction in neuronal aging and disease
- The interplay between inflammation, immunity, and neurodegeneration
- Pharmacological and genetic strategies targeting aging processes
- Developing biomarkers for tracking neurodegenerative disease related to aging

Interdisciplinary contributions that blend systems biology, multi-omics techniques, and translational neuroscience to enhance neurodegenerative treatments through aging research are strongly encouraged.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

Brief Research Report
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Keywords: DNA damage, RNA dysfunction, oxidative stress, Mitochondrial dysfunction, Neuroinflammation, Proteostasis dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), UPR

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.