Identify a key mechanism to prevent memory loss caused by Alzheimer's

2016/01/18 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia
• Medikuntza

Dr. Shira Knafo, a current member of the Biophysics Unit, and her team have found that a change in neuronal synapses due to Alzheimer's disease is a memory loss. Moreover, in an experiment with the mouse, this change has allowed the mice to keep the memory.

Together with Knafore, researchers from the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center and the University of Distance Education in Spain have worked and have published the study in the journal Nature Neuroscience. In 2010, Severo Ochoa identified a key protein involved in memory processes: PTEN protein. Now, in a study conducted by Knafo, they have shown that the mechanism associated with this protein is uncontrolled in Alzheimer's.

It has been determined that the beta-amyloid that appears in Alzheimer's emits more PTEN than enough to synapses, which imbalances the mechanisms of plasticity between neurons. That's what makes you lose your memory.

From there, researchers have proposed a strategy to prevent memory loss: They have developed a molecular tool that prevents the PTEN protein from reaching the synapses. They have tested it on the mouse and have confirmed that with it neurons become resistant to beta-amyloid and mice maintain memory.