THE PHARMACOLOGY OF NEUROTROPHIC TREATMENT WITH CEREBROLYSIN: BRAIN PROTECTION AND REPAIR TO COUNTERACT PATHOLOGIES OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS

Neurotrophic factors are considered as part of the therapeutic strategy for neurological disorders like dementia, stroke and traumatic brain injury. Cerebrolysin is a neuropeptide preparation which mimics the action of endogenous neurotrophic factors on brain protection and repair In dementia models, Cerebrolysin decreases beta-amyloid deposition and microtubule-associated protein tau phosphorylation by regulating glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta thus supporting the brain's self-repair after stroke. Both, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury conditions stimulate the expression of natural neurotrophic factors to promote repair and regeneration processes-axonal regeneration, neuronal plasticity and neurogenesis-that is considered to be crucial for the future recovery. Neuroprotective effects of Cerebrolysin on experimentally induced traumatic spinal cord injury have shown that Cerebrolysin prevents apoptosis of lesioned motoneurons and promotes functional recovery. This section summarizes the most relevant data on the pharmacology of Cerebrolysin obtained from in vitro assays (biochemical and cell cultures) and in vivo animal models of acute and chronic neurological disorders.