Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria are tubular organelles with a characteristic “network structure” that
facilitates the formation of inter-organellar connections. As a result, mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs), a
subdomain of the ER that is tightly linked to and communicates with mitochondria, serve multiple physiological
functions including lipid synthesis and exchange, calcium signaling, bioenergetics, and apoptosis. Importantly, emerging
evidence suggests that the abnormality and dysfunction of MAMs have been involved in various neurodegenerative
disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. This review will focus on
the architecture and function of MAMs and its involvement in the neurodegenerative diseases.

• Endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria tethering in neurodegenerative diseases