The present disclosure provides a method of reducing neurodegeneration and/or TDP43 associated aggregation, comprising knocking down the expression of Nuclear Paraspeckle Assembly Transcript 1 (NEAT1) or LncRNA NEAT1. Also provided are methods for screening a candidate agent that reduces neurodegeneration and/or TDP43 associated aggregation in a cell, treating or preventing a neurodegenerative disorder, delaying or preventing the onset of a neurodegenerative disorder or reducing a risk for developing a neurodegenerative disorder in a subject and determining whether a subject is suffering from, or at a risk of developing a neurodegenerative disorder, comprising measuring the presence of cytoplasmic NEAT1 in a biological sample, wherein the presence is indicative of the risk of developing a neurodegenerative disorder.