As people live longer, age-related brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are becoming more common.
These conditions happen when certain proteins in the brain fold the wrong way and build up in clumps. These clumps are called amyloid proteins, and they damage brain cells over time.
Right now, there is no cure or effective treatment to stop or remove these harmful protein clumps. But a new discovery may offer hope.
Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland have found that a small molecule in the body called spermine could help. Spermine is a natural substance that has been known for over 150 years.
It was first found in semen, where it exists in high amounts, but it is also present in many other cells in the body. It helps cells move, grow, divide, and eventually die in a healthy way. Spermine is especially common in active, dividing cells.
In a recent study led by Jinghui Luo, researchers at PSI found that spermine can help fight against brain diseases by helping the body clean up the harmful proteins that cause these conditions.
They did experiments using tiny worms called nematodes, which scientists often use to study aging and disease. They saw that giving spermine to these worms helped them live longer, move better as they got older, and made their cells’ energy centers (called mitochondria) work better.
The key finding was that spermine helps group harmful proteins into larger clumps, which are then easier for the cell to remove through a natural process called autophagy.
In autophagy, cells break down and recycle unwanted parts. Larger clumps of protein are easier for the cell to wrap up and remove, just like it’s easier to pick up a pile of noodles than single strands.
To understand how spermine works, Luo’s team used special microscopes and a method called SAXS scattering. They looked at spermine’s effects both in test tubes and in living worms. They discovered that spermine gathers the harmful protein strands together using weak electrical forces.
This action is similar to how cheese on a plate of spaghetti sticks the noodles together without making them stiff. This makes it easier for cells to break down and remove the proteins.
This research not only helps us understand spermine’s role in brain diseases, but it could also lead to future treatments. Spermine may also be important in fighting other diseases like cancer. Scientists believe that learning more about how spermine and similar molecules work could open new doors for medicine.
Luo explained that the body is like a kitchen, and these molecules are like ingredients in a recipe. If we know how they work and what amounts to use, we can prepare healthier “dishes” for the body.
Artificial intelligence is also being used to help find the best combinations quickly. New tools like high-resolution imaging and real-time tracking of cells are helping scientists make even faster progress.
In summary, spermine could be a helpful natural tool to fight serious brain diseases. By helping the body clean up dangerous protein clumps, it may protect the brain as we age. This exciting discovery could lead to new ways to treat or prevent conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how wheat gluten might be influencing our brain health, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health..
The study is published in Nature Communications.
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