Delay in manifestations of aging by grafting NGF cultured chromaffin cells in adulthood

Changed firing activity of nigra dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease which is characterized by selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The intrinsic neuronal firing activity is critical for the functional organization of brain and the specific deficits of neuronal firing activity may be associated with different brain disorders. It is known that the surviving nigra dopaminergic neurons exhibit altered firing activity, such as decreased spontaneous firing frequency, reduced number of firing neurons and increased burst firing in Parkinson's disease. Several ionic mechanisms are involved in changed firing activity of dopaminergic neurons under parkinsonian state. In this review, we summarize the changes of spontaneous firing activity as well as the possible mechanisms of nigra dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease. This review may let us clearly understand the involvement of neuronal firing activity of nigra dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease.

Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis and therapeutic interventions

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system associated with progressive cognitive and memory loss. Molecular hallmarks of the disease are characterized by extracellular deposition of the amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) in senile plaques, the appearance of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), cholinergic deficit, extensive neuronal loss and synaptic changes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and other areas of brain essential for cognitive and memory functions. Abeta deposition causes neuronal death via a number of possible mechanisms including oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, energy depletion, inflammation and apoptosis. Despite their multifactorial etiopathogenesis, genetics plays a primary role in progression of disease. To date genetic studies have revealed four genes that may be linked to autosomal dominant or familial early onset AD (FAD). These four genes include: amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PS1), presenilin 2 (PS2) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE). Plaques are formed mostly from the deposition of Abeta, a peptide derived from APP. The main factors responsible for Abeta formation are mutation of APP or PS1 and PS2 genes or ApoE gene. All mutations associated with APP and PS proteins can lead to an increase in the production of Abeta peptides, specifically the more amyloidogenic form, Abeta42. In addition to genetic influences on amyloid plaque and intracellular tangle formation, environmental factors (e.g., cytokines, neurotoxins, etc.) may also play important role in the development and progression of AD. A direct understanding of the molecular mechanism of protein aggregation and its effects on neuronal cell death could open new therapeutic approaches. Some of the therapeutic approaches that have progressed to the clinical arena are the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, nerve growth factors, nonsteroidal inflammatory drugs, estrogen and the compounds such as antioxidants, neuronal calcium channel blockers or antiapoptotic agents. Inhibition of secretase activity and blocking the formation of beta-amyloid oligomers and fibrils which may inhibit fibrilization and fibrilization-dependent neurotoxicity are the most promising therapeutic strategy against the accumulation of beta-amyloid fibrils associated with AD. Furthermore, development of immunotherapy could be an evolving promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of AD.

La lunga attesa: towards a molecular approach to neuroimaging and therapeutics in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the gradual onset of dementia. The pathological hallmarks of the disease are Aβ amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), synaptic loss and reactive gliosis. Current diagnosis of AD is made by clinical, neuropsychologic, and neuroimaging assessments. Routine structural neuroimaging evaluation with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is based on non-specific features such as atrophy, a late feature in the progression of the disease, hence the crucial importance of developing new approaches for early and specific recognition at the prodromal stages of AD. Functional neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), possibly in conjuction with other related Aβ biomarkers in plasma and CSF, could prove to be valuable in the differential diagnosis of AD, as well as in assessing prognosis. With the advent of new therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing the Aβ amyloid burden in the brain, there is increasing interest in the development of MRI contrast agents and PET and SPECT radioligands that will permit the assessment of Aβ amyloid burden in vivo. - ma dov'è / la lenta processione di stagioni / che fu un'alba infinita e senza strade, / dov'è la lunga attesa e qual è il nome / del vuoto che ci invade. - Eugenio Montale.

An evaluation of the role of mitochondria in neurodegenerative diseases: mitochondrial mutations and oxidative pathology, protective nuclear responses, and cell death in neurodegeneration

There is mounting evidence for mitochondrial involvement in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mitochondrial DNA mutations, whether inherited or acquired, lead to impaired electron transport chain (ETC) functioning. Impaired electron transport, in turn, leads to decreased ATP production, formation of damaging free-radicals, and altered calcium handling. These toxic consequences of ETC dysfunction lead to further mitochondrial damage including oxidation of mitochondrial DNA, proteins, and lipids, and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, an event linked to cell death in numerous model systems. Although protective nuclear responses such as antioxidant enzymes and bcl-2 may be induced to combat these pathological changes, such a vicious cycle of increasing oxidative damage may insidiously damage neurons over a period of years, eventually leading to neuronal cell death. This hypothesis, a synthesis of the mitochondrial mutations and oxidative stress hypotheses of neurodegeneration, is readily tested experimentally, and clearly points out many potential therapeutic targets for preventing or ameliorating these diseases.

Regulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity by the tyrosine kinase receptor, REK7/EphA5, and its ligand, AL-1/Ephrin-A5

The Eph-related tyrosine kinase receptor, REK7/EphA5, mediates the effects of AL-1/Ephrin-A5 and related ligands and is involved in the guidance of retinal, cortical, and hippocampal axons during development. The continued expression of REK7/EphA5 in the adult brain, in particular in areas associated with a high degree of synaptic plasticity such as the hippocampus, raises the question of its function in the mature nervous system. In this report we examined the role of REK7/EphA5 in synaptic remodeling by asking if agents that either block or activate REK7/EphA5 affect synaptic strength in hippocampal slices from adult mouse brain. We show that a REK7/EphA5 antagonist, soluble REK7/EphA5-IgG, impairs the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) without affecting other synaptic parameters such as normal synaptic transmission or paired-pulse facilitation. In contrast, perfusion with AL-1/Ephrin-A5-IgG, an activator of REK7/EphA5, induces a sustained increase in normal synaptic transmission that partially mimics LTP. The sustained elevation of normal synaptic transmission could be attributable to a long-lasting binding of the AL-1/Ephrin-A5-IgG to the endogenous REK7/EphA5 receptor, as revealed by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, maximal electrical induction of LTP occludes the potentiating effects of subsequent treatment with AL-1/Ephrin-A5-IgG. Taken together these results implicate REK7/EphA5 in the regulation of synaptic plasticity in the mature hippocampus and suggest that REK7/EphA5 activation is recruited in the LTP induced by tetanization.