title: The influence of synaptic activity on neuronal health.
abstract: According to the theory of neuronal health, neurons exist in a spectrum of states ranging from highly resilient to vulnerable. An unhealthy neuron may be rendered dysfunctional or non-viable by an insult that would ordinarily be non-toxic to a healthy neuron. Over the years it has become clear that a neuron's health is subject to dynamic regulation by electrical or synaptic activity. This review highlights recently identified activity dependent signalling events that boost neuronal health through the transcriptional control of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes, the enhancement of antioxidant defences, and the regulation of mitochondrial and neurotrophic factor availability. Furthermore, activity dependent signals have recently been shown to influence a variety of events specific to individual neurodegenerative diseases, which will also be highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK.
authors.forename: Karen F S
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Giles E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hardingham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*