Mitochondrial dynamics in neurodegenerative diseases

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles along with continuous fission, fusion and transport. Mitochondria dynamics not only control their morphology and number, but also affect their distribution and function. Mitochondria are also the basis for neuronal survival and involved in numbers of neuronal functions. Mitochondrial dynamic abnormalities accompanied by dysfunction have been reported in a wide range of neurological disorders, especially neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease (HD). In this review, we will briefly describe the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial dynamics and their critical roles in regulating neuronal function. We will also review the studies about mitochondrial dynamic abnormalities found in neurodegenerative diseases, and discuss the possibility of targeting mitochondrial dynamics as a likely novel therapeutic strategy for treating neurodegenerative diseases.