The present invention provides methods for treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, dementia after cerebral vascular disorder, dementia accompanied by other neuronal degeneration. The present invention provides methods for treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases comprising administering a compound that upregulates neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) production. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases comprising administering one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: 3-[4-(4-chlorophenyl) piperazin-1-yl] methyl]-1H-pyrrolo [2,3-b] pyridine or salts thereof 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methyl-3-(1-(2-phe- nylethyl) piperidin-4-yl) isoxazole or salts thereof, 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methyl-5-(1-(2-phenylethyl) piperidin-4-yl) isoxazole or salts thereof, N-methyl-4-(2-cyanophenyl) piperazinyl-3-methylbenzamine or salts thereof, 8-[(2,3-Dihydo-1,4-benzod- ioxin-2-yl)methyl]-1-phenyl-1,3,8-triazaspiro[4,5]decan-4-one or salts thereof, (E)-N-[(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-8-methyl-6-nonenamide or salts thereof, (Z)-N-[(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-8-methyl-6-no- nenamide or salts thereof, an 5-[[4-[(1-Methylcyclohexyl)methoxy]phenyl]me- thyl]-2,4-thiazolidinedione or salts thereof. Moreover, the present invention provides methods of screening for an anti-neurodegenerative agent, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a test sample with a cell and measuring NAIP production; and, (b) selecting a compound that increases the NAIP production in comparison with a control test in which the test sample is not contacted with the cell. Furthermore, the present invention provides compounds that upregulate NAIP production, wherein the compound can be isolated by the above screening method.