Is energy the key to Alzheimer's disease?

Date:
December 27, 2021
Source:
University of Adelaide
Summary:
A team of researchers has found a link between the way that cells
produce energy for brain function and the mutated genes found in
Alzheimer's disease.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A team of researchers at the University of Adelaide has found a link
between the way that cells produce energy for brain function and the
mutated genes found in Alzheimer's disease.


==========================================================================
The discovery published in Disease Models and Mechanismshas prompted
further examination of the link as a fundamental, early driver of
Alzheimer's disease in humans.

In the study, the researchers analysed the young adult brains of
zebrafish with gene mutations associated with early-onset Alzheimer's
disease. Zebrafish were chosen for the study because they produce very
large families, which makes it easier to detect subtle effects.

The team used cutting-edge gene technology and mathematical analysis to
compare gene activity and detect subtle differences between the normal
fish and those with the mutations.

While the researchers found different mutations in different genes have
many different effects on brain cell function, they also found Alzheimer's disease mutations affect one very important cell function in common --
the use of oxygen within cells to produce energy.

Lead researcher Dr Karissa Barthelson from the University of Adelaide's Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Laboratory said: "This is very interesting
because we know when Alzheimer's disease eventually develops, people's
brains become severely deficient in energy production.



========================================================================== "When we realised this common link we took our research one step further
and re-analysed data from another research group that had studied an
important Alzheimer's disease gene in mice.

"We could see a similar effect, and this reinforces our confidence that we
have found a fundamental, early driver of Alzheimer's disease in humans." Brains are made up of many different types of cells that have complicated
ways of producing and sharing energy. The Adelaide research group now
wants to examine how Alzheimer's disease mutations affect those different
cell types.

"It is very satisfying to have found this important common, early factor driving the development of Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers say the costs of Alzheimer's disease to society are huge,
not only in caring for those who cannot care for themselves but also in
lost relationships with loved ones as memories and cognition fade.

"Energy production is the most fundamentally important cellular activity supporting all other functions, particularly in highly active organs
such as brains," said Dr Barthelson.

"If we can understand in detail what is going wrong with oxygen use
and energy production, we may see ways of stopping the disease before
it starts -- and that would enormously benefit our ageing population."
special promotion Explore the latest scientific research on sleep and
dreams in this free online course from New Scientist -- Sign_up_now_>>> academy.newscientist.com/courses/science-of-sleep-and-dreams ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Adelaide. Original
written by Kelly Brown.

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Karissa Barthelson, Morgan Newman, Michael Lardelli. Brain
transcriptomes
of zebrafish and mouse Alzheimer's disease knock-in models imply
early disrupted energy metabolism. Disease Models & Mechanisms,
2021; DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049187 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211227154403.htm

--- up 3 weeks, 2 days, 7 hours, 13 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)