OBJECTIVE: To identify the neurological diseases for which euthanasia and assisted suicide are most frequently requested in the countries where these medical procedures are legal and the specific characteristics of euthanasia in some of these diseases, and to show the evolution of euthanasia figures.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review.
RESULTS: Dementia, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson\'s disease are the neurological diseases that most frequently motivate requests for euthanasia or assisted suicide. Requests related to dementia constitute the largest group, are growing, and raise additional ethical and legal issues due to these patients\' diminished decision-making capacity. In some countries, the ratios of euthanasia requests to all cases of multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, or Huntington disease are higher than for any other disease.
CONCLUSIONS: After cancer, neurological diseases are the most frequent reason for requesting euthanasia or assisted suicide.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the neurological diseases for which euthanasia and assisted suicide are most frequently requested in the countries where these medical procedures are legal and the specific characteristics of euthanasia in some of these diseases, and to show the evolution of euthanasia figures.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review.
RESULTS: Dementia, motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson\'s disease are the neurological diseases that most frequently motivate requests for euthanasia or assisted suicide. Claims related to dementia constitute the largest group, are growing, and raise additional ethical and legal issues due to these patients\' diminished decision-making capacity. In some countries, the ratios of euthanasia requests to all cases of multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, or Huntington disease are higher than for any other disease.
CONCLUSIONS: After cancer, neurological diseases are the most frequent reason for requesting euthanasia or assisted suicide.

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), also called \"sanqi\" in Chinese, are the main active ingredients which are extracted from the root of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen., and they have been traditionally used as a medicine in China for hundreds of years with magical medicinal value. PNS have varied biological functions, such as anti-inflammatory effects, anti-cancer effects, anti-neurotoxicity, and the prevention of diabetes. Nervous system disorders, a spectrum of diseases originating from the nervous system, have a significant impact on all aspects of patients\' lives. Due to the dramatic gains in global life expectancy, the prevalence of nervous system disorders is growing gradually. Even if the mechanism of these diseases is still not clear, they are mainly characterized by neuronal dysfunction and neuronal death. Consequently, it is essential to find measures to slow down or prevent the onset of these diseases. At present, traditional Chinese medicines, as well as their active components, have gained widespread popularity in preventing and treating these diseases because of their merits, especially PNS. In this review, we predominantly address the recent advances in PNS researches and their biological functions, and highlight their applications in nervous system disorders, such as Alzheimer\'s disease (AD), Parkinson\'s disease (PD), and stroke.