Exposome influences in neurodegeneration: Understanding the combined toxicant effects in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's represent a major health challenge worldwide, ranking as the seventh leading cause of death. These age-related disorders are predominantly sporadic, arising from unidentified causes, which positions the exposome—a conglomerate of all environmental and dietary exposures throughout an individual's life—as a potential key player in their etiology. While the field of neurotoxicology typically marginalizes its focus to isolated toxicants, real-world scenarios emphasize a complex network of exposures. This approach risks overlooking the synergistic effects and multifactorial nature of the exposome, warranting a holistic assessment to unpack the intricate effects of combined exposures such as those involving microplastics or other environmental pollutants contributing to these neurodegenerative processes.

This Research Topic aims to delve into the emerging paradigm of how multiple toxicant exposures can converge to instigate or exacerbate neurodegenerative conditions. Researchers will explore the dynamics between toxicants and neurological decline, with specific avenues focused on how individually and collectively, these exposures initiate neuronal damage. By unraveling these interactions, significant strides may be made in elucidating the underlying mechanisms and the ultimate outcomes concerning neuronal impact.

To gather further insights into the realm of cumulative environmental exposure effects on neurodegeneration, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

o Toxicants/exposome-induced neuronal or glial cell death, damage or behavior alterations.

o The impact of toxicants/exposome on amyloid-beta or alpha-synuclein aggregation.

o Alterations in the clearance mechanisms of toxic proteins induced by toxicants/exposome.

o Effects of toxicants/exposome on neurotransmitter levels, synthesis, and metabolism.

o Development of biomarkers to assess the effects and exposures of these toxicants/exposome components.

We invite original research articles, reviews, case studies, and methodological advancements in this pioneering and necessary frontier of neurotoxicology research.

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
• ... View all formats

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

Article types

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
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: exposome, neurotoxicology, neurodegeneration

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.