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Neural development

Bone-to-brain signalling

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 14, page 741 (2013)Cite this article

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The brain influences bone mass, but the effects of signals from bones to the brain are unknown. Here, the authors show that the hormone osteocalcin binds to neurons in the brainstem, midbrain and hippocampus in mice. Loss of osteocalcin altered the expression of genes involved in neurotransmitter synthesis and led to increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviour and memory deficits. Furthermore, they showed that osteocalcin crosses the placenta, and the absence of maternal osteocalcin increased neuronal apoptosis and resulted in learning deficits in the adult offspring. Thus, osteocalcin signalling mediates several important functions in the brain.

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References

  1. Oury, F. et al. Maternal and offspring pools of osteocalcin influence brain development and functions. Cell 155, 228–241 (2013)

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  1. Katherine Whalley
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Whalley, K. Bone-to-brain signalling. Nat Rev Neurosci 14, 741 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3623

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