Translated material
Neurons found protection
Mental decline in older people can be reversed
According to the journal Cell, scientists have discovered a chemical that improves the survival of new neurons. So far the experiments have been carried out on mice. The essence of the process is not yet clear enough. Future research may lead to the development of new treatments for patients with diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.“The neuroprotective substance, called P7C3, has very high potential because it has good drug properties,” explains Stephen McKnight, who led the study at the Texas Medical Center in Dallas. - It can be taken orally. It has a long-lasting effect and is well tolerated by mice at different stages of development.”
Physical, social and other activities promote neurogenesis, the process of growth and development of nerve cells. Neuronal growth occurs in the dentate gyrus (fascia dentata hippocampi) or fascia of the dentate hippocampus - a serrated gyrus located deep in the hippocampal sulcus and passing into the ribbon gyrus. But even in the brain of a healthy adult, most newborn neurons die within the first month necessary for them to develop and become involved in brain function. To survive, nerve cells must overcome many difficulties.
In order to find a drug that can protect fragile nerve cells, scientists tested more than one thousand chemicals on mice. P7C3 compensates for the lack of a gene in adult mice that is essential for the survival of neurons in the hippocampus. The gene was removed using genetic engineering. P7C3 normalized the growth of branch-like neuron processes by 40%. The work of P7C3 is based on protecting the integrity of the system responsible for maintaining the energy level of cells.
To find out whether P7C3 could slow both age-related neuronal death and cognitive decline, the scientists gave it to old rats. The mice in this experiment were replaced with rats because genetically modified mice cannot swim. Rodents given P7C3 for two months performed significantly better than their placebo-fed counterparts on the water maze, a traditional test of hippocampal cognitive development.
Long-term use of P7C3 in aged rats also increased the number of new neurons, although under normal conditions the process of neurogenesis, associated with an inability to form new memories and a decline in cognitive abilities, was slowed down.
Rats given P7C3 every day had an increase in the number of new nerve cells. They were significantly better at learning to swim to the disappearing platform, a standard test of cognition and memory in rats.
The main reason for the apparent success of the experiment was that the administered substance protected newborn neurons. It takes a lot of time for them to fully develop and incorporate new nerve cells into the functioning of the brain - from two to four weeks, but most die before they can begin their main activity.
Interestingly, two other drugs, Dimebon and Serono, which are structurally similar to P7C3, also promote neuronal growth.
Scientists have also found a derivative of P7C3 - A20, which protects new nerve cells even more reliably. In addition, there is evidence to suggest that two other neuroprotective substances that may be used to treat Alzheimer's disease work on the same principle as P7C3. A20 turned out to be 300 times more powerful than these drugs, which are currently undergoing clinical trials. This means that further research may reveal even stronger neuronal protection. Now American scientists are looking for P7C3 targets at the molecular level. This will reveal the neuroprotective mechanism underlying the entire process.