Erase trauma from your brain: New discovery shocks
This enzyme may erase traumatic memories from the brain (Getty Images)
Some memories can be very painful and usually remain hidden in our brains. Scientists have made a discovery aimed at preventing neuron degeneration, reports Marca.
What did scientists discover?
Science is focused on specific areas, such as the treatment or prevention of diseases like Alzheimer’s. In this regard, a recent discovery has attracted attention. The research was published in Molecular Neurodegeneration and comes from researchers at the Institute for Basic Science.
The scientific paper notes that the cells present in the brain, known as astrocytes, are responsible for removing toxic plaques; however, in the process, they produce GABA and hydrogen peroxide. Simply put, GABA is a neurotransmitter that attempts to slow down brain activity, while hydrogen peroxide permanently damages neurons. This is how neural connections eventually degrade in the course of self-preservation.
To understand how to break this vicious cycle, researchers tried to determine which agents were necessary during this process, and to inhibit or eliminate them without harming other brain functions. After a series of procedures, they managed to isolate two enzymes believed to be key in this activity, namely SIRT2 and ALDH1A1. The first was found at very high levels in both mice and humans after death. This indicates that it may be present in processes responsible for cognitive impairments.
Furthermore, SIRT2 acted mainly in the late stages of GABA production, which may indicate that neuron degeneration can continue even when this protein is inhibited.
Other effects of SIRT2
Although the latest discovery is the involvement of this protein in Alzheimer’s disease, there have been other findings around SIRT2. Regarding the regulation of inflammation, blocking SIRT2 may lead to increased inflammation and insulin resistance. According to an article published by Dr. Joan S. Fuster, SIRT2 inactivates the inflammasome, a protein complex that triggers inflammation.
On the other hand, regarding the inhibition of SIRT2 in mice, a partial recovery of memory was observed. In fact, it was found that only short-term working memory was restored in the tested mice, while spatial memory was not. Although this is inspiring, the researchers themselves admit that even more questions have arisen after these discoveries.
Although SIRT2 may not be a direct pharmacological target, since its impact on neurodegeneration appears rather limited, these findings open the door to many therapeutic strategies for diseases like Alzheimer’s.
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