Title: Abeta42 oligomers trigger synaptic loss through AMPK-dependent activation of mitochondrial fission and mitophagy
Description: The following dissertation discusses the role of Aβ42 dependent hyperactivation of AMPK mediating synaptic loss through coordinated Mff-dependent mitochondrial fission and Ulk2-dpendent mitophagy in dendrites of PNs. In Chapter 1, I provide a brief background on Alzheimer’s disease and the cellular and molecular mechanisms that have been relevant to the pathogenesis of the disease including disruption on mitochondrial homeostasis and autophagy. In Chapter 2, I discuss the findings of my main project describing the role of Aβ42 induced mitochondrial remodeling leading to synapse loss in vitro and in vivo in part by hyperactivation of CAMKKII-AMPK. Chapter 3 covers a review article that I participated in in examining the role of mitochondria in various ND. In Chapter 4, I discuss about a project I was involved in in examining the mechanism behind maintaining mitochondrial morphology in axon versus dendrite and its functional consequence. In Chapter 5, I end the dissertation by highlighting key findings, potential future studies, and concluding remarks.