Mitochondrial bioenergetics and neurodegeneration: A paso doble

Mitochondria and neuronal activity: The brain is one of the highest energy demanding organs, consuming ~20% of the total ATP produced by the whole body. Importantly, neurons mainly rely on ATP synthesized by mitochondrial bioenergetics and neuronal activity is strictly dependent on specific mitochondrial localization at synapses, sites consuming a high amount of energy requested for both pre- and post-synaptic processes. Here, mitochondria produce ATP and buffer Ca2+ rises, two essential processes for neurotransmission and generation of membrane potential along the axon.