Osteoporosis in neurodegeneration

Area of Science:

• Bone biology and neurobiology
• Environmental toxicology
• Public health

Background:

• Osteoporosis, characterized by reduced bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration, affects over 200 million people globally, with increasing prevalence.
• A concurrent rise in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Multiple Sclerosis, has been observed.
• Osteoporosis is more prevalent in individuals with these neurodegenerative conditions compared to the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the hypothesis linking neurodegenerative disorders with osteoporosis.
• To investigate potential shared etiological factors between these two prevalent conditions.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on osteoporosis, neurodegenerative diseases, and metal toxicology.
• Analysis of studies reporting metal accumulation in bone and brain tissues.
• Examination of biomarkers for neurodegeneration found in bone tissue.

Main Results:

• Neurotoxic metals such as cadmium, lead, aluminum, and arsenic negatively impact bone mineral density and are found in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
• Biomarkers for neurodegeneration, like amyloid beta peptide, have been detected in the bone tissue of osteoporosis patients.
• A potential common pathway in the pathogenesis of both osteoporosis and neurodegeneration is suggested.

Conclusions:

• A shared underlying mechanism may contribute to the pathogenesis of both osteoporosis and neurodegenerative disorders.
• The accumulation of neurotoxic metals in bone and brain tissue presents a potential common link.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise relationship and shared mechanisms.