| Abstrakt: |
A recent study conducted by researchers at the Scripps Research Institute has identified the energetic reactions in brain cells that malfunction and lead to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. By using a small molecule to address the malfunction in the mitochondria, the researchers were able to restore many neuron-to-neuron connections in nerve cell models derived from human Alzheimer's patient stem cells. The study found that a block in the enzymes that make energy, caused by an abnormal tag of nitrogen and oxygen atoms onto a sulfur atom, led to a disruption in the Krebs cycle, which produces ATP, the body's molecular power source. The researchers were able to restore energy production by supplying missing succinate molecules, repairing up to three quarters of the lost synapses. However, further research is needed to develop a safe and effective drug for humans. [Extracted from the article] |
