How to make your neurons feel young again?

¡Hey! Worried about Alzheimer’s? Well, new research has shown that deep brain stimulation of new neurons can help alleviate Alzheimer’s symptoms in rodent models.

According to a recently published article, the research focused on the process of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in mice with Alzheimer’s disease. Deep brain stimulation of the supramamilar nucleus (SuM), which is located in the hypothalamus, allowed the generation of new neurons that improved the connections in the brain of diseased rodents.

But here comes the interesting part: it is not enough to have more new neurons! Behavioral improvement in Alzheimer’s mice was only seen when these newly improved neurons were activated by chemogenetics. The researchers used memory tests and assessments for behaviors similar to anxiety and depression to confirm these improvements.

In addition, they analyzed protein changes in the hippocampus of Alzheimer’s mice in response to the activation of new neurons. They discovered several important protein pathways for improving memory performance, as well as enabling the clearance of Alzheimer’s-related plaques.

The team is now working on developing potential therapies to mimic these beneficial effects. They hope that these drugs could help patients with low or no hippocampal neurogenesis and eventually develop highly targeted therapies to treat Alzheimer’s and related dementia.

So, if someone asks you if deep brain stimulation of new neurons can help in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, you already have an answer!