#mammillary — Public Fediverse posts

MIT Neuroscientists identify cells especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s

One of the first brain regions to show neurodegeneration in #Alzheimer’s disease is a part of the #hypothalamus called the #mammillary #body.

In a new study, MIT researchers have identified a subset of neurons within this body that are most susceptible to neurodegeneration and hyperactivity. They also found that this damage leads to memory impairments.

The findings suggest that this region may contribute to some of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, making it a good target for potential new drugs to treat the disease, the researchers say.

“It is fascinating that only the #lateral #mammillary #body neurons, not those in the medial mammillary body, become hyperactive and undergo neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease,” says Li-Huei Tsai, director of MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and the senior author of the study.

In a study of mice, the researchers showed that they could #reverse memory impairments caused by hyperactivity and neurodegeneration in mammillary body neurons by treating them with a #drug that is now used to treat #epilepsy.

https://news.mit.edu/2023/neuroscientists-identify-cells-vulnerable-alzheimers-0419

MIT Neuroscientists identify cells especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s

One of the first brain regions to show neurodegeneration in #Alzheimer’s disease is a part of the #hypothalamus called the #mammillary #body.

In a new study, MIT researchers have identified a subset of neurons within this body that are most susceptible to neurodegeneration and hyperactivity. They also found that this damage leads to memory impairments.

The findings suggest that this region may contribute to some of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, making it a good target for potential new drugs to treat the disease, the researchers say.

“It is fascinating that only the #lateral #mammillary #body neurons, not those in the medial mammillary body, become hyperactive and undergo neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease,” says Li-Huei Tsai, director of MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and the senior author of the study.

In a study of mice, the researchers showed that they could #reverse memory impairments caused by hyperactivity and neurodegeneration in mammillary body neurons by treating them with a #drug that is now used to treat #epilepsy.

https://news.mit.edu/2023/neuroscientists-identify-cells-vulnerable-alzheimers-0419