Microtubule dynamics in cytoskeleton, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease

Abstract

Microtubules (MTs) are fundamental polymers composed by α and β tubulin, they provide integrity to neuronal cell and are necessaries in intracellular trafficking and organization. The extension and retraction of MTs occur with the addition or removal of α and β tubulin subunits and the binding with microtubule associated proteins (MAPs) that selectively target specific tubulin regions, manipulating the MT dynamics and function. Altered MT homeostasis can compromise the function of MTs in the structural integrity and axonal transport inside the neuron. Here I review the evidence of MT anomalies in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and traumatic brain injury and psychiatric disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. The focus of this review is to point out which can be the impact of MT issues in the major neurodegenerative diseases and discuss which MT abnormalities can lead to psychiatric illnesses.