ماده شیمیایی جدیدی با عنوان "پیچ صدا" – که سرعت و شدت افکار در مغز را تنظیم می کند – در یک گشایش غیر منتظره کشف شد و اکنون ممکن است داروی جدیدی برای درمان آلزایمر و صرع را نوید دهد.
[در مطالعه ای که در آخرین شماره "نیچر نوروساینس" انتشار یافت] پژوهشگران بر روی نقش پروتیین کلیدی تمرکز کردند که به نظر می رسد در زمان های بیش فعالی مغز را آرام کرده و در زمان های کندکاری سرعت آن را بالا می برد. [اکنون] آنها باور دارند داروهایی که این آنزیم به نام GSK3 را هدف بگیرد می تواند از سرعت از دست دهی حافظه کاسته و عارضه های حمله های صرعی را آرام نماید.
دانشمندان چگونگی ارتباط سلول های مغزی را در مواقع کنش بالا – مانند در هنگام شکل گیری خاطره جدید و یا حمله های صرعی – که علایم دهی سلول های عصبی مغزی افزایش می یابد تحلیل کردند. آنها دریافتند که آنزیم GSK3 کمک می کند تا فعالیت های مغزی از طریق کاهش جریان پیام های شیمیایی ارسالی میان سلول های مغزی تحت کنترل آید.
پژوهشگران می گویند:خصوصیت بالا این امکان را فراهم می سازد تا داروهایی ساخته شود که مانع تاثیر این آنزیم گردیده، و پیام دهی میان سلول های مغزی را افزایش دهد. این می تواند به حفاظت از حافظه در افراد مبتلابه آلزایمر کمک کرده و از پیشروی بیماری آنها جلوگیری نماید. ...
Thought 'Volume Control' Found in Breakthrough that Could Help Alzheimer's Disease and Epilepsy Sufferers
A chemical "volume control" that regulates the speed and intensity of thoughts in the brain has been discovered in a breakthrough that may offer hope of new drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy.
By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent
Daily Telegraph - Published: 6:00PM BST 06 Jun 2010
Researchers have pinpointed the role of a key protein that appears to slow the brain down at times of hyperactivity and speed it up when it is too slow.
They believe that drugs that target the enzyme called GSK3 could help to slow memory loss and calm the symptoms of epileptic seizures.
The landmark study, led by the University of Edinburgh, is published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Scientists analysed the way brain cells communicate at times of peak activity – such as the creation of new memories or in epileptic seizures – when electrical signalling by the brain's neurons is increased.
They found that the GSK3 enzyme helps to suppress brain activity by reducing the flow of chemical messages sent between brain cells.
This raises the possibility that drugs could be developed to block the effect of this enzyme, increasing chemical messaging between brain cells, researchers say.
This could help to protect memory in people with Alzheimer's disease and slow the progression of their illness.
Conversely, researchers also say that drugs could also be developed to boost the effect of the enzyme, slowing brain activity in epilepsy patients and reducing the effects of their seizures.
The team warns, however, that because GSK3 is associated with a range of body and brain functions, more research is needed to establish what the effects of manipulating this enzyme might be.
Dr Mike Cousin, of the University of Edinburgh, who led the research said: "Until now, we understood that this enzyme was important brain cell function, but we did not fully appreciate why.
"This study shows that GSK3 plays a crucial part in controlling brain function during peak activity. The development of drugs to act on the enzyme could make a real difference to the lives of people with brain disorders."
The research was conducted in partnership with the University of Dundee and with Australian researchers from the Children's Medical Research Institute and the Garvan Institute for Medical Research in Sydney.
It was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Epilepsy Research UK and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.
New Hope for Alzheimer's Treatment
Press Association | June 06, 2010
A protein that controls brain activity may offer hope of new treatments for Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy, scientists have said. Skip related content
Researchers have pinpointed the role of a key enzyme - GSK3 - and say the discovery could lead to new drugs that would help to slow memory loss and calm the symptoms of epileptic seizures.
Scientists analysed the way brain cells communicate at times of peak activity when electrical signalling by the brain's neurons is increased.
They found that the GSK3 enzyme helps to suppress brain activity by reducing the flow of chemical messengers between brain cells.
This raises the possibility that drugs could be developed to block the effect of this enzyme, increasing chemical messaging between brain cells which could help to protect memory in people with Alzheimer's disease and slow the progression of their illness.
Conversely, researchers also said drugs could be developed to boost the effect of the enzyme, slowing brain activity in epilepsy patients and reducing the effects of their seizures.
Dr Mike Cousin, of the University of Edinburgh, which led the research, said: "Until now, we understood that this enzyme was important for brain cell function, but we did not fully appreciate why.
"This study shows that GSK3 plays a crucial part in controlling brain function during peak activity."
However the team warned that because GSK3 is associated with a range of body and brain functions, more research is needed to establish what the effects of manipulating this enzyme might be.
The study is published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.