The brain has a hidden “sugar cord” that can lead to better treatment for neurological diseases Like Alzheimer’saccording to a new study.
A study recently published in Nature Metabolic Journal found that breaking down glycogen (stored glucose) in the brain may reduce the accumulation of toxic proteins associated with common dementia.
This was one of the first studies showing that glycogen could have a positive effect Brain health According to lead author, Dr. Pankaji Kapahi, professor at the California Institute for Aging Studies.
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“This study began with fruit fly (Drosophila) that was genetically modified to mimic taupathy, a condition in which a tank called tau accumulates in the brain, similar to what happens in Alzheimer’s disease,” Kapahi told Fox News Digital.
The flies used in this study were found to have brain damage; Shortens the lifespanAccording to researchers.
To enable the results to be transformed into humans, Research Team They also studied neurons created in the lab from human patient cells with Tau mutations from people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or related conditions, according to a press release.
In both the fly and human models, researchers found increased levels of glycogen (stored glucose) in the brain and impaired glycogen degradation, Kapahi told Fox News Digital.
This was a surprising finding, as researchers previously thought that glycogen was primarily stored in the muscles and liver.
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They also found that excess glycogen contributes to the disease. The scientist’s model tau protein interacted with glycogen, blocking it from breaking, and nerves lost the ability to prevent cell damage.
However, researchers have discovered that by enhancing an enzyme called glycogen phosphorylase (GLYP), which breaks down glycogen, it can reduce damage to fruit flies and human nerves.
This suggests that enzymes that break down sugars may be promising targets for future treatments, as neurons use glycogen to combat cell damage.
The researcher also said Restricted diet It can improve the brain health of fly.
Reducing the amount of protein in the insect diet actually led to the flies living longer and improving brain health.
“We have since discovered that this improvement is linked to an increase in glycogen failure,” Kapahi said.
This led to the main findings of research that breaking down neuronal glycogen can protect the brain from damage caused by tau accumulation.
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Scientists too I developed a drug According to a press release, it uses a special molecule called 8-br-camp, which replicates a similar effect of dietary restriction.
The authors revealed that they do not yet recommend a low protein diet, but said the study could pave the way for dietary or drug-based strategies to slow down Alzheimer’s and related diseases.
Dr. Michael Okun, a Florida Neurologist And, although medical advisors at the Parkinsons Foundation were not involved in the study, they commented on the importance of the findings.
“Instead of engaging sugar in the energy burning process, the broken glycogen appeared to be routed to antioxidant-producing pathways,” Okun, who also author of Parkinson’s Plan, told Fox News Digital.
“The next step in the process may potentially damage free radicals that roam the brain,” he said.
Okun also confirmed that dietary restriction activates protective brain pathways and encourages the breakdown of brain sugars.
“We’ve reduced damage from the end Alzheimer’s disease-related Tau protein,” he said.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Federation of Aging Research and other sources – had some limitations, experts acknowledged.
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Researchers did not clarify whether it could destroy brain glycogen and stop human brain cells from dying, Ball pointed out.
“We still don’t know why glycogen accumulates in the disease, or whether it’s the cause or the result of tau pathology, but our data suggest that it can amplify disease progression,” Kapahi added.
This study has been conducted only in fly and human cell models and has not yet been tested in living humans.
“We don’t know if we’ll target glycogen degradation yet Human Patients – And most importantly, is it a safe approach?” Okun said.
According to the Alzheimer’s Disease Association, the most common dementia dementia in the United States, Alzheimer’s Disease, affects more than 7 million people in the United States.
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Neuropathy It affects memory, thoughts and behavior.
There is no cure for the disease, but some medications can temporarily slow down progression and improve quality of life.
