[ad_1]
ANI | , Posted by Akanksha AgnihotriWashington DC
Researchers at the University of Queensland have demonstrated the important role of saturated fatty acids in the brain’s storage of memories. New treatments for neurodegenerative diseases may now be possible thanks to research conducted by Dr Isaac Akefe of the Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland. He has also discovered the genes that underlie the process of memory formation. The findings were published in the journal EMBO.
“We have previously shown that saturated fatty acid levels increase in the brain during neuronal communication, but we did not know what was causing these changes,” said Dr. Akfe. “Now for the first time, we have identified changes in the fatty acid landscape of the brain when neurons encode a memory.” Interacts with proteins.”
The brain is the most fatty organ in the body, with 60 percent of its weight consisting of fatty compounds called lipids. Fatty acids are the building blocks of a class of lipids called phospholipids. Work in the laboratory of Professor Frédéric Meunier has shown that STXBP1 regulates the targeting of the PLA1 enzyme, coordinates the release of fatty acids and directs communication at synapses in the brain. “Human mutations in the PLA1 and STXBP1 genes reduce free fatty acid levels and promote neurological disorders,” Professor Meunier said.
“To determine the importance of free fatty acids in memory formation, we used mouse models where the PLA1 gene was deleted. We tracked the onset and progression of neurological and cognitive decline throughout their lives. We observed that “Even before their memories were impaired, their saturated free fatty acid levels were significantly lower than those of control mice. This indicates that this PLA1 enzyme, and the fatty acids it releases, play an important role in memory acquisition.”
The research has important implications for understanding how memories are formed. “Our findings indicate that manipulating this memory acquisition pathway has exciting potential as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” Professor Meunier said. The research team acknowledges the contributions of PhD candidates Sabar Abd Elkader of the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and Benjamin Matthews of the Queensland Brain Institute.
This is a collaborative study with the University of New South Wales, the University of Strasbourg, the University of Bordeaux, the Scripp Research Institute and Baylor College of Medicine.
This story is published from a wire agency feed without any modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
[ad_2]
