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Exhaled Breath Analysis in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Handbook of Computational Neurodegeneration

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of pathological conditions demonstrating a variety in their clinical picture due to lesions of defined brain regions. Environment, genetics, and viruses are factors involved in the process of neurodegeneration. Pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for their development include abnormal protein function, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

Their complexity leads to an inadequate understanding of their diagnosis and treatment. Search for new methods is constant. The study of the exhaled breath is a relatively new method with promising results. Although research of its utility in the area of neurodegeneration is not extensive, the results have shown that its content is different between patients and healthy population. The detectable changes in exhaled breath seem to make it a tool for diagnosis and stratification of neurodegenerative diseases. Its application for monitoring and treatment are less feasible based on the current evidence. Moreover, it seems that it can provide information on the mechanisms responsible for the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

Further research is necessary though, to overcome the flaws of the study of the exhaled breath such as the lack of standardization. Moreover, research on combining exhaled breath and neurodegeneration is required because it seems that changes in the pathophysiological processes happening at the neuronal level can be traced to the alterations of the volatile organic compounds of breath. This fact could offer a better understanding of the mechanisms of neurodegeneration.

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Patsiris, S., Karpouza, A., Exarchos, T., Vlamos, P. (2021). Exhaled Breath Analysis in Neurodegenerative Diseases. In: Vlamos, P., Kotsireas, I.S., Tarnanas, I. (eds) Handbook of Computational Neurodegeneration. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75479-6_67-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75479-6_67-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-75479-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-75479-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Exhaled Breath Analysis in Neurodegenerative Diseases
    Published:
    14 February 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75479-6_67-2

  2. Original

    Exhaled Breath Analysis in Neurodegenerative Diseases
    Published:
    13 November 2021

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75479-6_67-1