The Mitochondrial Dynamics of Alzheimers Disease and Parkinsons Disease Offer Important Opportunities for Therapeutic Intervention

Title: The Mitochondrial Dynamics of Alzheimers Disease and Parkinsons Disease Offer Important Opportunities for Therapeutic Intervention

Volume: 17 Issue: 31

Author(s): David J. Bonda, Mark A. Smith, George Perry, Hyoung-gon Lee, Xinglong Wang and Xiongwei Zhu

Affiliation:

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, DLP-1, Drp-1, Fis1, fission, fusion, Mfn1, Mfn2, mitochondrial dynamics, neurodegeneration, Parkinson's disease, therapeutics

Abstract: Mitochondrial dynamics play a crucial role in the pathobiology underlying Alzheimers disease (AD) and Parkinsons disease (PD). Although a complete scientific understanding of these devastating conditions has yet to be realized, alterations in mitochondrial fission and fusion, and in the protein complexes that orchestrate mitochondrial fission and fusion, have been well established in AD- and PD-related neurodegeneration. Whether fission/fusion disruption in the brain is a causal agent in neuronal demise or a product of some other upstream disturbance is still a matter of debate; however, in both AD and PD, the potential for successful therapeutic amelioration of degeneration via mitochondrial protection is high. We here discuss the role of mitochondrial dynamics in AD and PD and assess the need for their therapeutic exploitation.

Cite this article as:

J. Bonda David, A. Smith Mark, Perry George, Lee Hyoung-gon, Wang Xinglong and Zhu Xiongwei, The Mitochondrial Dynamics of Alzheimers Disease and Parkinsons Disease Offer Important Opportunities for Therapeutic Intervention, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2011; 17 (31) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161211798072562