Insights into the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management of Prion Diseases.
Journal:
CNS & neurological disorders drug targets
Published Date:
Jul 8, 2025
Abstract
The normal cellular prion protein (PrPC) can misfold into an infectious and pathogenic form (PrPSc) to produce prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), which are rare and deadly neurodegenerative conditions. The conversion of PrPC to PrPSc, which builds up as toxic aggregates in the central nervous system, is caused by sporadic, inherited, or acquired pathways. PrPSc-induced proteostasis failure, oxidative stress, neuronal toxicity, and progressive neurodegeneration are characteristics of pathogenesis. Due to their overlap with other neurodegenerative illnesses, prion diseases are still difficult to diagnose, even with breakthroughs in our knowledge of the molecular causes. Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, neuroimaging, EEG, and genetic testing are utilized in the diagnostic process. Methods like real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) provide high sensitivity. As there are currently no cures, the main goals of management are palliative care and symptom alleviation. Research is currently being conducted on experimental strategies that target PrP misfolding. These strategies include autophagy enhancers, monoclonal antibodies, antisense oligonucleotides, and small compounds. Artificial intelligence (AI) shows revolutionary promise by enhancing early diagnosis through biomarker analysis, neuroimaging interpretation, and EEG pattern identification. AI also improves clinical trial design, identifies tailored treatment approaches, and accelerates drug discovery. Furthermore, advancements in AI-based bioinformatics technologies have led to a better understanding of prion biology and strain diversity. The future holds promise for utilising cutting-edge treatment techniques, such as CRISPR and gene therapy, for targeted interventions, as well as combining AI with multimodal data to enhance diagnostic capabilities. There is optimism that the burden of prion disorders can be reduced, and the treatment of neurodegenerative illnesses can be improved through the integration of molecular research, novel treatments, and AI technology.
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