Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2015. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Neurol. Dec 28, 2015; 5(4): 102-106
Published online Dec 28, 2015. doi: 10.5316/wjn.v5.i4.102
Challenge of the translational neuroscience
Rodrigo Ramos-Zúñiga
Rodrigo Ramos-Zúñiga, Translational Neurosciences Institute, Department of Neurosciences, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44340, México
Author contributions: Ramos-Zúñiga R contributed all to this paper.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Ramos-Zúñiga R declares no conflict of interest related to this publication.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Rodrigo Ramos-Zúñiga, MD, PhD, Translational Neurosciences Institute, Department of Neurosciences, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco 44340, México. rodrigor@cencar.udg.mx
Telephone: +52-33-10585271 Fax: +52- 33-36402277
Received: May 28, 2015
Peer-review started: May 30, 2015
First decision: August 16, 2015
Revised: September 11, 2015
Accepted: November 13, 2015
Article in press: November 17, 2015
Published online: December 28, 2015
Abstract

The development of Neurosciences in the last few years has changed a set of paradigms in the production of knowledge, from which new scenarios have arisen in the understanding of the structure and function of the human nervous system, as well as in some of the most relevant diseases involved. Nonetheless, the impact of all the scientific information on this topic has played a limited role in the proposals in the diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitation and social reintegration fields, when the effect on the daily life of patients that have a neurological impairment is considered. Thus, the emergence of translational science is an alternative for a more direct and pragmatic link that allows the connection between basic research and applied research, and in the short term will achieve results that can be promoted in the communities. In addition, this process involves an interaction with technological development and transfer following a global knowledge management model. Every discipline in the neurological sciences field poses different critical challenges to tend to the new epidemiologic profiles. emerging in areas such as neurodevelopment disturbances found in the pediatric population, trauma and addictions in the young, as well as neurodegenerative diseases in older adults. This model reviews the demands from society, expecting more compelling results from the scientific community, particularly in creating strategies that actually change the natural course of neurologic diseases from the bench to the bedside.

Keywords: Medical research, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuroscience education, Neuroethics, Translational medicine

Core tip: The society of knowledge has expanded with information produced all over the world. But unfortunately, only a small part of such knowledge has had an impact on decision-making pertaining health, and on the ability to solve specific problems in a given population. Translational Neurosciences represent an innovative proposal for a direct line between basic research, applied research, technology transfer and knowledge management for the resolution of a specific problem in the neurological sciences, either in diagnosis, therapy, rehabilitation or social integration. This design requires commitment with education and training of human resources in Neurosciences from a proactive and innovative viewpoint.