After losing memory, recover
2005/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
Neurobiologists from Minneapolis have managed to recover memory by activating a protein. Research will help find treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other memory-related diseases.
For research, mice have been genetically modified, producing an excess of tau proteins. This protein caused the brain to become more complicated than normal –as in patients with dementia–. To measure the memory of mice, a labyrinth has been used: these genetically modified mice did not remember the way out.
However, when the production of this protein has been avoided, at least in part, memory has been recovered. Brain confusion persists, however, so it could be thought that the protein produces memory loss through the brain mixture.
However, in dementia there are also beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, so to cope with memory loss you will have to take into account both types of proteins.
