Descriptive Epidemiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases: What Are the Critical Questions?

Abstract

The field of neurodegenerative diseases is a major challenge faced by Public Health and is still in need of robust preventive measures and disease-modifying treatments. Population-based studies can offer the framework in the context primary and secondary prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. The epidemiology of neurodegenerative disorders in the last decades has focused on descriptive studies mainly based on the use of clinical criteria. However, clinical definition is basically insufficient both to well characterize different phenotypes and to make an early diagnosis. Descriptive epidemiology needs a new framework to update the area of neurodegenerative research, based on advancement of both clinical and biological diagnostic criteria and the urgency for an early diagnosis of the disease. In here, we address the present and future of population-based studies in neurodegenerative disorders and discuss the shift of paradigms in the diagnosis of disease and disease definition. We further debate the changes in biomarker implementation models and type of biomarkers used in population-based studies. Descriptive epidemiology of neurogenerative disorders is rapidly evolving. These implementations will improve the future design and outcome of population-based studies and policy-making in Public Health intervention.

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“…Future population-based studies should focus on evaluating the prevalence and characteristics of other non-motor symptoms, such as sleep disturbances, in people with ALS. Epidemiological research is essential to provide new data on non-motor and extrapyramidal features in ALS and to improve policy-making in public health intervention [ 41 , 42 ].…”

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“…Победы, д. 85, г. Белгород, 308015, Россия; pharmsoldatov@gmail.com 1 Белгородский государственный национальный исследовательский университет, Белгород, Россия 2 Первый московский государственный медицинский университет имени И. М. Сеченова, Москва, Россия 3 Курский государственный медицинский университет, Курск, Россия [2].…”

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