Method of identifying compounds that induce or inhibit endoplasmic reticulum stress or oxidative stress

Method for the identification of potentially useful compounds for the treatment or the prevention of a neurodegenerative disease comprising the steps of:

• a) contacting a cell with a candidate compound in any degree of purity, wherein said cell stably expresses a DNA construct comprising:
• i) the DDIT3 gene promoter region identified in SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or a functionally equivalent variant thereof;
• and
• ii) a reporter gene operatively coupled to said promoter region,
• and
• b) detecting the expression of the reporter gene;
• wherein the assayed compound is identified as suitable for the treatment or prevention of said neurodegenerative disease if it causes a variation in the expression of the reporter gene in the direction opposite to the existing alteration of the levels of DDIT3 in the neurodegenerative disease in comparison with the alteration of the expression in the absence of said compound or if it causes an alteration in the expression of the reporter gene in the same direction as the alteration to be achieved in the levels of DDIT3.