Scientists from the Institute of Biomedicine of Seville found that the accumulation of a fragment of the synaptic protein neurexin in the adult brain causes specific losses of memory.
The research is published in Experimental Neurology and was conducted by Ana C. Sánchez-Hidalgo et al.
In the study, the researchers have focused on a fragment of the synaptic protein neurexin, known in scientific circles as NrxnCTF.
This fragment accumulates in cases of mutation in the Presenilin genes responsible for familial forms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers have found that their experimental accumulation in the adult brain of the animal model triggers specific memory defects, among others.
These experimental models of disease are important for the identification of mechanisms and fundamental for the design of effective therapies.
The team found in behavioral studies that the accumulation of this protein produces a loss of associative memory that depends on the brain’s amygdala.
They also examined synaptic connections from the prefrontal cortex to the amygdala were studied using electrophysiological recordings in mice.
These experiments found that the accumulation of NrxnCTF also produces defects in presynaptic plasticity.
This study is a preliminary step to prevent its accumulation and, as a consequence, the associated symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about drug that may help treat Lewy body dementia, and mid-life heart disease prevention may prevent later dementia.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that these two types of dementia linked to Parkinson’s disease and results showing these common jobs can increase dementia risk by more than half.
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