Neurodegenaration: Overview
Neurodegenerative diseases are progressive disorders characterized by the gradual loss of neurons, resulting in cognitive and motor impairment. The increasing prevalence of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has emphasized the need for effective neuroprotective therapies. In recent years, plant-derived bioactive compounds have gained significant attention because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-amyloidogenic, and enzyme inhibitory properties. At the same time, advances in in vitro cell-based models, including three-dimensional cultures, brain organoids, and microfluidic platforms, have improved the understanding of disease mechanisms and enhanced preclinical drug screening. In addition, various in vitro neuroprotective assays, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibition, thioflavin T amyloid aggregation, antioxidant, monoamine oxidase inhibition, lactate dehydrogenase release, and nitric oxide assays, are widely used to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of natural compounds. This review summarizes the major causes of neurodegeneration, recent developments in advanced cell-based in vitro models, and commonly employed neuroprotective assays, highlighting their importance in the discovery of novel therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases.