Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41667435›Full record

ArticleCell death & disease2026

Impaired BDNF-TrkB trafficking and signalling in Down syndrome basal forebrain neurons.

Emily Blackburn, Nicol Birsa, André Teixeira Lopes, Elizabeth M C Fisher, Oscar M Lazo, Giampietro Schiavo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell death & disease, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Disruption of BDNF signalling in neuropathologies.Biochemical Society transactions · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Emily BlackburnDepartment of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4009-2715
Nicol BirsaDepartment of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8271-540X
André Teixeira LopesDepartment of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9920-5556
Elizabeth M C FisherDepartment of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2850-9936
Oscar M LazoDepartment of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4542-482X
Giampietro SchiavoDepartment of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK. giampietro.schiavo@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4319-8745

Funding

Wellcome Trust (Wellcome) 107116/Z/15/Z and 223022/Z/21/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) play crucial roles in neuronal development, synaptic transmission, and neuroplasticity. Deficits in BDNF/TrkB signalling and trafficking have been identified in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are at an increased risk of developing AD compared to the general population. Basal forebrain neurons (BFNs) are among the first to degenerate in AD and DS, but the mechanisms underlying their vulnerability remain unclear. Using BFNs derived from the Dp1Tyb mouse model of DS, we investigated neurotrophic signalling and trafficking deficits in AD-DS. We found enlarged early endosomes and elevated levels of active Rab5, a GTPase critical for early endosome formation, in Dp1Tyb BFNs. These abnormalities were associated with impaired transport of internalised TrkB from axon terminals to the soma. Using microfluidic devices, we demonstrated that axonal BDNF stimulation enhanced signalling endosome dynamics in wild-type but not Dp1Tyb BFNs, which is likely due to impaired axonal ERK1/2 signalling. Our findings establish a link between Rab5 hyperactivation, endosomal dysfunction, and impaired ERK1/2 signalling, highlighting the interplay between trafficking and neurotrophic signalling, and underscore the importance of targeting endolysosomal and signalling pathways to mitigate neuronal dysfunction in AD-DS.

Indexed as

Basal ForebrainBrain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorDown SyndromeNeuronsReceptor, trkBAnimalsEndosomesHumansMiceProtein Transportrab5 GTP-Binding ProteinsSignal TransductionBrain-Derived Neurotrophic Factorrab5 GTP-Binding ProteinsReceptor, trkB

Identifiers

PMID41667435
PMCPMC12921309

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.