Abstract
Background. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, are among the leading causes of disability in the elderly. These conditions pose a significant socio-economic burden and necessitate novel approaches to diagnosis and therapy due to their complex pathogenesis and the lack of effective treatments. Epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA regulation, play a pivotal role in the development of these diseases. Aim: to conduct a literature review aimed at identifying key epigenetic changes associated with neurodegenerative diseases and their therapeutic prospects. Materials and methods. Specialized scientific literature from four databases - PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar - was analyzed. Search terms included "neurodegenerative diseases," "Alzheimer's disease," "Parkinson's disease," "Huntington's disease," "epigenetics," "HDAC inhibitors," and "CRISPR/Cas9." The selected literature was limited to English-language publications, analytical reviews, and original research articles, with an emphasis on recent works published over the past 20 years. Results. The review outlines specific patterns of epigenetic changes. Promising therapeutic strategies, such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology, demonstrate significant potential for correcting epigenetic abnormalities. Conclusion. The analysis of scientific studies confirms that epigenetic changes - specifically DNA methylation patterns, histone modifications, and dysregulation of non-coding RNAs - hold promise for the early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. Further research should focus on refining and developing effective therapeutic strategies