This book includes a series of reviews on general aspects of biomarker use in the study of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and the development of medications involved in their treatment. It describes the pros and cons of the various approaches and covers the successes and failures in this research field. It is only by a thorough understanding of the shortcomings that progress can be made. The overall goal is to facilitate the understanding and treatment of these disorders, by providing a viable mechanism of catching up with other areas of modern medicine, such as diabetes and heart disease. Finally, it is anticipated that the development and application of valid biomarker tests and the leveraging of novel drug targets will help the fields of psychiatry on neurodegenerative disorders move into the area of personalized medicine where the right patients can receive the right medication at the right time for the best possible outcome.

Autorentext
Dr Paul C. Guest, Ph.D, is a scientific researcher/writer with 35 years of experience in the fields of metabolic and neurological disorders. This includes experience in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry with the majority of time spent at the University of Cambridge and Merck Sharp & Dohme in the United Kingdom. He has also been affiliated with the University of Campinas in Sao Paulo Brazil since 2015, still focused on advancing the field of biomarkers for neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.

Inhalt

1. The Potential of 'Omics to Link Lipid Metabolism and Genetic and Comorbidity Risk Factors of Alzheimer's Disease in African Americans.- 2. The Role of Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development.- 3. Mitochondrial Involvement in Mental Disorders; Energy Metabolism, Genetic and Environmental Factors.- 4. Lymphocytes, Platelets, Erythrocytes and Exosomes as Possible Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Diagnosis.- 5. Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer Disease: Emerging Roles of Microglia in Disease Pathomechanisms.- 6. Neuroimaging Studies of Cognitive Function in Schizophrenia.- 7. The Role of Biomarkers in Psychiatry.- 8. Interactome Studies of Psychiatric Disorders.- 9. MicroRNAs in Major Depressive Disorder.- 10. Proteomic Markers for Depression.- 11. Advances in Biomarker Studies in Autism Spectrum Disorders.- 12. Proteomic Investigations of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Past Findings, Current Challenges and Future Prospects.- 13. Role of the Gut Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorders.- 14. Metabolomic Biomarkers in Mental Disorders: Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia.- 15. Early Detection and Treatment of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: Future Perspectives.