Taurine and central nervous system disorders

Amino Acids. 2014 Jan;46(1):31-46. doi: 10.1007/s00726-012-1382-z. Epub 2012 Aug 19.

Abstract

In the present era, investigators seek to find therapeutic interventions that are multifaceted in their mode of action. Such targets provide the most advantageous routes for addressing the multiplicity of pathophysiological avenues that lead to neuronal dysfunction and death observed in neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Taurine, an endogenous amino acid, exhibits a plethora of physiological functions in the central nervous system. In this review, we describe the mode of action of taurine and its clinical application in the neurological diseases: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Central Nervous System / metabolism*
  • Central Nervous System / pathology
  • Humans
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism*
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / mortality
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / pathology
  • Taurine / metabolism*

Substances

  • Taurine