question: Are there studies representing the involvement of Notch mutations in neurodegenerative diseases such as Down syndrome, Pick's and Prion's disease, and cadasil syndrome?
answer: The Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved, intercellular signaling mechanism essential for proper embryonic development in organisms as diverse as insects, nematodes, echinoderms and mammals. Disruptions in conserved developmental pathways frequently result in inherited congenital anomalies in humans. Mutations in genes encoding Notch pathway components underlie human disease such as Down syndrome, Pick's and Prion's disease, and cadasil syndrome.