Introduction:

Several neurodegenerative disorders are associated with telomere attrition, turning telomeres into potential biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets.

Objective:

To assess the relevance of telomere attrition for neurodegenerative disorders, highlighting its therapeutic implications.

Material and methods:

A literature review was carried out from September 2019 to January 2020. Several databases were searched by using descriptors and Boolean operators. Advanced search strategy was used for the selection of articles, taking into account the methodological quality and validity of the studies.

Results:

Strong evidence for an association between telomere attrition and Alzheimer and Huntington diseases was obtained, suggesting a potential importance of telomere biology in the physiopathology of these diseases. Current evidence does not allow establishing the relevance of telomere attrition in the physiopathology of Parkinson´s disease or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Evidence was obtained for the usefulness of therapies for the prevention of telomere attrition in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Conclusions:

Telomere attrition has physiopathological and clinical relevance in Alzheimer´s and Huntington´s diseases, though current evidence is not enough to establish its role in Parkinson´s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Strategies that enhance telomerase activity have therapeutic potential in the context of neurodegenerative disorders.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )