Abstract

Human neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive loss of specific neuronal populations, resulting in substantial disability and early death. The identification of causative single-gene mutations in families with inherited neurodegenerative disorders has facilitated the modelling of these diseases in experimental organisms, including the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster. Many neurodegenerative diseases have now been successfully modelled in Drosophila, and genetic analysis is under way in each of these models. Using fruitfly genetics to define the molecular pathways that underlie the neurodegenerative process is likely to improve substantially our understanding of the pathogenesis of the human diseases, and to provide new therapeutic targets.

Author affiliations

1. Mel B. Feany is at the Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
2. Miratul M. K. Muqit is now at the Department of Molecular Pathogenesis, Institute of Neurology, Queens Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.

Correspondence to: Mel B. Feany² Email: mel_feany@hms.harvard.edu