Scientists catch brain damage in the act (w/ video)

Scientists catch brain damage in the act (w/ video)

Scientists have uncovered how inflammation and lack of oxygen conspire to cause brain damage in conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease.

The discovery, published today in Neuron, brings researchers a step closer to finding potential targets to treat neurodegenerative disorders.

Chronic inflammation and hypoxia, or , are hallmarks of several brain diseases, but little was known about how they contribute to symptoms such as memory loss.

The study used state-of-the-art techniques that reveal the movements of microglia, the brain's resident immune cells. Brain researcher Brian MacVicar had previously captured how they moved to areas of injury to repair .

The new study shows that the combination of inflammation and hypoxia activates microglia in a way that persistently weakens the connection between neurons. The phenomenon, known as long-term depression, has been shown to contribute to cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease.

A video of describing the findings, including microscopy footage of how microglia repair brain damage.

"This is a never-before-seen mechanism among three key players in the brain that interact together in neurodegenerative disorders," says MacVicar with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at UBC and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.

"Now we can use this knowledge to start identifying new potential targets for therapy."

Journal information: Neuron
Citation: Scientists catch brain damage in the act (w/ video) (2014, March 13) retrieved 19 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-03-scientists-brain-video.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Can a virtual brain replace lab rats?

 shares

Feedback to editors