Alzheimer & Parkinson

Amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is morphologically diverse. Understanding the association of polymorphic Aβ pathology with AD pathogenesis and progression is critical in light of emerging Aβ-targeting therapies. In this work, functional amyloid microscopy enhanced by deep learning was integrated with mass spectrometry imaging to delineate polymorphic plaques and to identify their associated Aβ make-up. In both sporadic AD (n = 12) and familial AD (n = 6),...

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N- and C-terminal α-synuclein (α-syn) truncations are prevalent in Parkinson's disease. Effects of the N- and C-terminal residues on α-syn aggregation and fibril propagation are distinct, where the N-terminus dictates fibril structure. Here, the majority of α-syn truncations are assigned by intact mass spectrometry to lysosomal activity. To delineate essential charged residues in fibril formation, we selected an N-terminal truncation (66-140) that is generated solely from soluble α-syn by...

Neurodegenerative diseases display synaptic deficits, mitochondrial defects, and protein aggregation. We show that intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) regulates axoplasmic viscosity and protein aggregation in mammalian neurons. Decreased intracellular ATP upon mitochondrial inhibition leads to axoterminal cytosol, synaptic vesicles, and active zone component condensation, modulating the functional organization of mouse glutamatergic synapses. Proteins involved in the pathogenesis of...

Neurodegenerative diseases are age-related disorders characterized by the cerebral accumulation of amyloidogenic proteins, and cellular senescence underlies their pathogenesis. Thus, it is necessary for preventing these diseases to remove toxic proteins, repair damaged neurons, and suppress cellular senescence. As a source for such prophylactic agents, we selected zizyphi spinosi semen (ZSS), a medicinal herb used in traditional Chinese medicine. Oral administration of ZSS hot water extract...

Aβ is believed to play a significant role in synaptic degeneration observed in Alzheimer's disease and is primarily investigated as a secreted peptide. However, the contribution of intracellular Aβ or other cleavage products of its precursor protein (APP) to synaptic loss remains uncertain. In this study, we conducted a systematic examination of their cell-autonomous impact using a sparse expression system in rat hippocampal slice culture. Here, these proteins/peptides were overexpressed in a...

Human aging presents an evolutionary paradox: while aging rates remain constant, healthspan and lifespan vary widely. We address this conundrum via salutogenesis-the active production of health-through immune resilience (IR), the capacity to resist disease despite aging and inflammation. Analyzing ~17,500 individuals across lifespan stages and inflammatory challenges, we identified a core salutogenic mechanism: IR centered on TCF7, a conserved transcription factor maintaining T-cell stemness and...

Triplications and certain point mutations in the SNCA gene, encoding alpha-synuclein (α-Syn), cause Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we demonstrate that the PD-causing A53T α-Syn mutation and elevated α-Syn expression perturb acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) and p300 biology in human neurons and in the CNS of zebrafish and mice. This dysregulation is mediated by activation of ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), a key enzyme that generates acetyl-CoA in the cytoplasm, via two mechanisms. First, ACLY activity...

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40 Hz sensory stimulation ("flicker") has emerged as a new technique to potentially mitigate pathology and improve cognition in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. However, it remains unknown how 40 Hz flicker affects neural codes essential for memory. Accordingly, we investigate the effects of 40 Hz flicker on neural representations of experience in the hippocampus of the 5XFAD mouse model of AD by recording 1,000s of neurons during a goal-directed spatial navigation task. We...

Poor social networking (SN) is associated with the development of cognitive impairment and dementia. Our objective was to perform a systematic review of the evidence on the associations between SN and the incidence of dementia, disease pathology, level of cognition, and brain structure. Bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL) and additional sources (Open Gray, Google Scholar, manual searches) were screened through November 30, 2024. Observational studies assessing the...

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are a specialized extracellular matrix in the central nervous system. They are widely distributed in the brain, with distribution patterns varying by brain region. Their unique structure and composition allow them to play an important role in a range of physiological and pathological activities. In this article, we review the composition and structure of PNNs across different life stages, and provide a detailed analysis and comparison of the region-specific distribution...

Protective immunity, essential for brain maintenance and repair, may be compromised in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, using high-dimensional single-cell mass cytometry, we find a unique immunometabolic signature in circulating CD4^(+) T cells preceding symptom onset in individuals with familial AD, featured by the elevation of CD38 expression. Using female 5xFAD mice, a mouse model of AD, we show that treatment with an antibody directed to CD38 leads to restored metabolic fitness, improved...

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High-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) at subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we find an important role of asynchronous release (AR) of GABA induced by high-frequency stimulation (HFS) in alleviating motor functions of dopamine-depleted male mice. Electrophysiological recordings reveal that 130-Hz HFS causes an initial inhibition followed by desynchronization of STN neurons, largely attributable...

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MIRO1 is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein important for mitochondrial distribution, dynamics and bioenergetics. Over the last decade, evidence has pointed to a link between MIRO1 and Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis. Moreover, a heterozygous MIRO1 mutation (p.R272Q) was identified in a PD patient, from which an iPSC-derived midbrain organoid model was derived, showing MIRO1 mutant-dependent selective loss of dopaminergic neurons. Herein, we use patient-specific iPSC-derived midbrain...

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With population aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is becoming increasingly prevalent, causing great health and economic burdens worldwide. Despite decades of research, there are still no effective disease-modifying treatments for AD, highlighting the urgent need for more in-depth understanding of the disease-causing mechanisms. The brain serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission system undergoes structural and functional changes in aging and AD, which contributes to cognitive decline and comorbid mood...

Parkinson's disease is caused by the loss of dopamine neurons, causing motor symptoms. Initial cell therapies using fetal tissues showed promise but had complications and ethical concerns^(1-5). Pluripotent stem (PS) cells emerged as a promising alternative for developing safe and effective treatments⁶. In this phase I/II trial at Kyoto University Hospital, seven patients (ages 50-69) received bilateral transplantation of dopaminergic progenitors derived from induced PS (iPS) cells. Primary...