title: Specific needs of dopamine neurons for stimulation in order to survive: implication for Parkinson disease.
abstract: Parkinson disease (PD) is a degenerative brain disorder characterized by motor symptoms that are unequivocally associated with the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Although our knowledge of the mechanisms that contribute to DA cell death in both hereditary and sporadic forms of the disease has advanced significantly, the nature of the pathogenic process remains poorly understood. In this review, we present evidence that neurodegeneration occurs when the electrical activity and excitability of these neurons is reduced. In particular, we will focus on the specific need these neurons may have for stimulation in order to survive and on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that may be compromised when this need is no longer met in PD.
authors.affiliation: Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) S975, Paris, France. patrick-pierre.michel@upmc.fr
authors.forename: Patrick P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toulorge
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerreiro
authors.forename: Etienne C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Hirsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: calcium; electrical activity; neurodegeneration