Post by roland on Nov 12, 2008 8:11:10 GMT
Here's a fairly lengthy press release about the results of a new study conducted by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre which shows that a protein (Cdk5) that helps immature nerve cells become fully functional, can also have a harmful impact when it combines with another protein (p25) in deep brain structures.
The researchers were studying neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. But their findings may also be relevant for other disorders. Here's a quote:
Neuropsychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and drug addiction involve similar brain pathways as the ones studied and implicated in the "Mr. Hyde" aspect of Cdk5, Dr. Bibb said.
Dr. Bibb also used new technology to reach deeper inside the brain and explore regions beyond those typically examined in conjunction with neurodegenerative diseases. His team used a green fluorescent protein to trace Cdk5's activity in mice, allowing the researchers to examine precisely what was happening in the brain when the Cdk5/p25 pairing was overexpressed.
They found that the overexpression damaged circuitry in the area of the brain that controls movement and reward-based learning. The brain cells lost about half of their connections, or synapses, with other brain cells. This was accompanied by inflammation usually associated with neurodegeneration.
"Once we saw the loss of synapses, we understood why the mice experienced problems with movement and learning," Dr. Bibb said. "Surprisingly, despite the negative effects of putting Cdk5 with p25 in this part of the brain, the cells didn't die. Researchers now have the tools to delve deeper into the brain to study disease. Being unable to control movement, or having psychiatric illness, can be as devastating as memory loss."
Here's a link to the whole thing:
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081111130854.htm
The researchers were studying neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. But their findings may also be relevant for other disorders. Here's a quote:
Neuropsychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and drug addiction involve similar brain pathways as the ones studied and implicated in the "Mr. Hyde" aspect of Cdk5, Dr. Bibb said.
Dr. Bibb also used new technology to reach deeper inside the brain and explore regions beyond those typically examined in conjunction with neurodegenerative diseases. His team used a green fluorescent protein to trace Cdk5's activity in mice, allowing the researchers to examine precisely what was happening in the brain when the Cdk5/p25 pairing was overexpressed.
They found that the overexpression damaged circuitry in the area of the brain that controls movement and reward-based learning. The brain cells lost about half of their connections, or synapses, with other brain cells. This was accompanied by inflammation usually associated with neurodegeneration.
"Once we saw the loss of synapses, we understood why the mice experienced problems with movement and learning," Dr. Bibb said. "Surprisingly, despite the negative effects of putting Cdk5 with p25 in this part of the brain, the cells didn't die. Researchers now have the tools to delve deeper into the brain to study disease. Being unable to control movement, or having psychiatric illness, can be as devastating as memory loss."
Here's a link to the whole thing:
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081111130854.htm