A little known brain protein could hold the key to treating Alzheimer’s and ageing, according to a new study.
A team of scientists from the National University of Singapore discovered protein Mfsd7c plays a crucial role in managing choline levels in the brain. Choline, a nutrient essential for brain function, is known to decline with age and in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Choline is crucial for brain functions including memory , mood, and muscle memory - with the new study finding that the brain takes up choline bound to circulating lipids - fatty compounds - rather than in its free form. This lipid-associated choline is transported to the brain before and Mfsd7c then exports any excess choline out of the brain, maintaining a balance.
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However the study found targeting Mfsd7c increased levels of choline and acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for learning and memory, reports PsyPost.org . While the study focussed largely on Fowler syndrome, a severe neurological disorder, Lead researcher Associate Professor Nguyen Nam Long said: "Our study results have revealed an unexpected finding for choline source in the brain. It not only provides a foundation for future work to reveal the disease mechanisms of Fowler syndrome, but also lays the foundation for treatment of neurological diseases,” said Nguyen.
It comes after a groundbreaking new study revealed that a substance commonly found in pomegranates, strawberries, walnuts and some other foods could reduce or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists discovered that urolithin A, a metabolite compound commonly found in the fruits and nuts helps the body remove damaged mitochondria from the brain.
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One of the contributing factors to Alzheimer's symptoms is a buildup of proteins or waste in the brain that leads to blockage in neurological pathways or blood flow that kills brain cells and subsequently leads to cognitive difficulties, according to the National Institute on Aging .
That's not the cause of all Alzheimer's, but addressing that factor could reduce symptoms or slow the development of the incurable, progressive disease. And that's exactly what could happen in patients who eat pomegranates, strawberries and walnuts — buildups could occur less frequently, leading to "positive results" in patients, according to Vilhelm Bohr, a biochemist at the University of Copenhagen, who was one of the scientists who conducted the study .
Speaking to the university's press office, Bohr said, "Our study on mouse models with AD [Alzheimer's disease] shows that urolithin A, which is a naturally occurring substance in i.a. pomegranates, can alleviate memory problems and other consequences of dementia."
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