Neurotrophins and dementia--keeping in touch.
Down's syndrome patients develop dementia similar to Alzheimer's disease and show elevated levels of amyloid precursor protein in brain. Two papers in this issue of Neuron show that reduced retrograde transport or signaling of the neurotrophins NGF or BDNF, respectively, may account for the neuronal pathology in mouse models of Down's syndrome.
Castrén
Eero
E
Sigrid Jusélius Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
Tanila
Heikki
H
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor