Dopamine system during aging
The dopamine system is actively maintained during healthy aging, with neurotransmission largely preserved and declines in dopaminergic markers often reflecting downregulation rather than cell death.
Neuroadaptive mechanisms provide a reserve that maintains the aging dopamine system, including preservation of ribosomal gene expression that sustains the proteome as transcript levels fall.
Age-related pathology may emerge when neuroadaptive reserve is exceeded, as in Parkinson’s disease and systemic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
Sex differences and heterogeneity among midbrain dopamine neuron populations reveal distinct neuroadaptive strategies underlying selective resilience across healthy aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
https://www.cell.com/trends/neurosciences/fulltext/S0166-2236(26)00190-6
