ABSTRACT
Autophagy is a life process mediated by the intracellular lysosomes that can degrade intracellular misfolded proteins and aging damaged organelles, and is widely found in eukaryotic cells. Autophagy plays a crucial role in maintaining cell homeostasis and the recycling of material and energy. Some specific functions of autophagy have been identified in many tissues and organs resent years. Notably, the role of autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases has been paid more and more attention. Neurodegenerative diseases are a pathological process characterized by neuronal autophagy dysfunction and abnormal protein aggregation and folding. Studies have showed that autophagy can reduce amyloid accumulation in Alzheimer disease (AD), promote the clearance of Lewy bodies in Parkinson's disease (PD) and reduce the level of huntington protein in Huntington's disease (HD). In addition, natural drugs including resveratrol, trehalose and curcumin have been shown to play an active role in neurodegenerative diseases by regulation of autophagy. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms of autophagy is critical for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. This review focused on the molecular mechanism of autophagy and its research progress in neurodegenerative diseases, aiming to provide reference for the clinical treatment of neurodegenerative disease.