Brain aging: The zinc connection.
Exp Gerontol
; 43(5): 389-93, 2008 May.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18078729
ABSTRACT
At variance with other organs, where the functional and structural units are repeated, the brain is a composite assembly of groups of cells with different metabolic features and functional units. Deterioration of brain function occurs when the number of neurons or their connections decrease below a critical reserve level and coping with environmental stimulation is seriously hampered. Physiopathological alterations of the synaptic junctional areas are reported to play a central role in the process of brain aging. Current research is documenting an age-related numeric loss of synapses which is paired by a significant enlargement of the persisting contact zones the final outcome of these balanced changes is a significant reduction of the overall synaptic junctional area per unit volume of neuropil. The progressive decline of the mitochondrial metabolic competence, i.e. the capacity of select pools of organelles to provide adequate amounts of adenosine triphosphate is supposed to represent a key determinant in synaptic aging. Cytochemical estimations of the activity of cytochrome oxidase confirm that mitochondrial dysfunctions play an early role in synaptic deterioration. Zinc ions act as physiological neuromodulators at glutamatergic synapses, however, in order to avoid neurotoxic damage, the intracellular free Zn(++) concentration ([Zn(++)](i)) must be tightly controlled by (i) extrusion (Zn(++) transporters); (ii) buffering (metallothioneins) and (iii) sequestration (mitochondria) systems. In physiological aging, if any of these systems is impaired and/or not adequately coordinated with the other two, the resulting significant rise of ([Zn(++)](i)) may inhibit the cellular energy providing systems and affect mitochondria as primary target.
Buscar en Google
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Zinc
/
Encéfalo
/
Envejecimiento
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Exp Gerontol
Año:
2008
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Italia