The proteostasis network provides targets for neurodegeneration.

The production, quality control, and degradation of proteins is a tightly controlled process necessary for cell health. In order to regulate this process cells rely upon a network of molecular chaperone proteins that bind misfolded proteins and help them fold correctly. In addition, some molecular chaperones can target terminally misfolded proteins for degradation. Neurons are particularly dependent upon this 'proteostasis' system, failures in which lead to neurodegenerative disease. In this review we identify opportunities for modulating molecular chaperone activity with small molecules, which could lower the burden of misfolded protein within neurons, reducing cell death and ameliorating the effects of neurodegeneration.