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The Golgi apparatus is an intracellular organelle that modifies cargo, which is transported extracellularly through the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, and plasma membrane in order. First, the general function of the Golgi is reviewed and, then, Golgi stress signaling is discussed. In addition to the six main Golgi signaling pathways, two pathways that have been increasingly reported in recent years are described in this review. The focus then shifts to neurological disorders, examining Golgi stress reported in major neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. The review also encompasses findings related to other diseases, including hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, frontotemporal spectrum disorder/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, microcephaly, Wilson’s disease, and prion disease. Most of these neurological disorders cause Golgi fragmentation and Golgi stress. As a result, strong signals may act to induce apoptosis.

Hand neuropathies and musculoskeletal disorders represent significant health concerns, often requiring accurate and non-invasive diagnostic methods. Current diagnostic approaches may have limitations in terms of accuracy and patient comfort. This study addresses the need for an improved complementary diagnostic tool for these conditions by investigating the potential of infrared thermography for identifying thermal patterns associated with these pathologies. Thermal images were acquired from both control participants with healthy hands and patients with hand neuropathies and/or musculoskeletal disorders. The mean temperatures of various regions of interest (ROIs) were analysed, and statistical tests were conducted to determine if there were significant temperature differences between the control and injury groups. The analysis consistently revealed higher mean temperatures in the injury group across multiple ROIs on both the dorsal and palmar aspects of the hand. Levene’s test confirmed the equality of variances between the groups, supporting the validity of the statistical comparisons. The observed thermal differences between the control and injury groups underscore the potential of IR thermography for enhancing diagnostic precision of hand pathologies. Its integration into clinical practice could lead to early detection, personalised treatment, and improved patient care in the future.

Sensory and autonomic neuropathy was diagnosed in a five-month-old Border Collie puppy, who presented with progressive self-mutilation, proprioceptive ataxia and urinary incontinence. In the Border Collie, sensory neuropathy is different from what is observed in acral mutilation syndrome, as the genetic mutation is linked to an inversion disrupting the FAM134B gene. Diagnosis was based on history, clinical signs and genetic testing. The prognosis of sensory neuropathies is poor and no curative treatment is available. In the present case, oclacitinib was started for symptomatic treatment of the self-mutilation. A good control of the self-mutilation was quickly observed with an improvement in quality of life for five months. Unfortunately, progression of neurological signs with severe proprioceptive deficits, ataxia, muscular atrophy and urinary/fecal incontinence was observed. Five months after diagnosis, the owner elected for euthanasia.

Toxoplasmosis is a prevalent disease affecting a wide range of hosts including approximately one-third of the human population. It is caused by the sporozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), which instigates a range of symptoms, manifesting as acute and chronic forms and varying from ocular to deleterious congenital or neuro-toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis may cause serious health problems in fetuses, newborns, and immunocompromised patients. Recently, associations between toxoplasmosis and various neuropathies and different types of cancer were documented. In the veterinary sector, toxoplasmosis results in recurring abortions, leading to significant economic losses. Treatment of toxoplasmosis remains intricate and encompasses general antiparasitic and antibacterial drugs. The efficacy of these drugs is hindered by intolerance, side effects, and emergence of parasite resistance. Furthermore, all currently used drugs in the clinic target acute toxoplasmosis, with no or little effect on the chronic form. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview on the currently used and emergent drugs and their respective parasitic targets to combat toxoplasmosis. We will also abridge the repurposing of certain drugs, their targets, and highlight future druggable targets to enhance the therapeutic efficacy against toxoplasmosis, hence lessening its burden and potentially alleviating the complications of its associated diseases.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a prevalent protozoan parasite of medical and veterinary significance. It is the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, a neglected disease in which incidence and symptoms differ between patients and regions. In immunocompetent patients, toxoplasmosis manifests as acute and chronic forms. Acute toxoplasmosis presents as mild or asymptomatic disease that evolves, under the host immune response, into a persistent chronic disease in healthy individuals. Chronic toxoplasmosis establishes as latent tissue cysts in the brain and skeletal muscles. In immunocompromised patients, chronic toxoplasmosis may reactivate, leading to a potentially life-threatening condition. Recently, the association between toxoplasmosis and various diseases has been shown. These span primary neuropathies, behavioral and psychiatric disorders, and different types of cancer. Currently, a direct pre-clinical or clinical molecular connotation between toxoplasmosis and most of its associated diseases remains poorly understood. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on Toxoplasma-induced and associated diseases with a focus on available knowledge of the molecular players dictating these associations. We will also abridge the existing therapeutic options of toxoplasmosis and highlight the current gaps to explore the implications of toxoplasmosis on its associated diseases to advance treatment modalities.

Peripheral nervous system diseases are a complex and heterogenous group of diseases affecting the different nerves with various severity and impact on quality of life. The current literature does not provide a structured guide for the rehabilitation of these conditions. We performed a lexical literature evaluation based on graph theory to clarify this topic. We performed a search on PubMed and calculated the frequencies of the words indicating rehabilitation approaches, nerves, and diseases. We found the usefulness of exercises and different physical agents, like laser and ultrasound therapy and neuromuscular stimulation vibration therapy. Orthoses are useful for entrapment, trauma, and hereditary diseases. Correct knowledge and assessment of the neuropathies are fundamental for the therapeutic decision and to guide rehabilitation. Despite the usefulness shown by the different approaches to modulating pain, improving muscle strength and endurance, and ameliorating balance and the sensory system, further studies are needed to define the best-personalized protocols.

Age-related muscle loss is a phenomenon that has been extensively studied in recent decades. Sarcopenia is a multisystem disease, which predisposes to muscle weakness and frailty. At around 50 years of age, an individual begins to lose muscle strength, although this becomes more evident after 70. Sarcopenia is a condition typically found in older adults but can also affect younger people. Sarcopenia is a preventable and treatable condition. In past years, methods and tools to recognize the condition early have been researched. For the development of therapeutic interventions, agreement on diagnosis is fundamental. In recent years, a possible role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of sarcopenia has been evaluated, compared with the best-known techniques.