title: Amyloid beta, mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic damage: implications for cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Recent studies of postmortem brains from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and transgenic mouse models of AD suggest that oxidative damage, induced by amyloid beta (Abeta), is associated with mitochondria early in AD progression. Abeta and amyloid-precursor protein are known to localize to mitochondrial membranes, block the transport of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins to mitochondria, interact with mitochondrial proteins, disrupt the electron-transport chain, increase reactive oxygen species production, cause mitochondrial damage and prevent neurons from functioning normally. Furthermore, accumulation of Abeta at synaptic terminals might contribute to synaptic damage and cognitive decline in patients with AD. Here, we describe recent studies regarding the roles of Abeta and mitochondrial function in AD progression and particularly in synaptic damage and cognitive decline.
authors.affiliation: Neurogenetics Laboratory, Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA. reddyh@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: P Hemachandra
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: M Flint
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Beal
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides