X-Message-Number: 12622 Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1999 14:52:25 -0400 From: Jan Coetzee <> Subject: re-stimulated the growth of brain cells Brain cell-stimulating pathway may help treat diseases NEW YORK, Oct 22 (Reuters Health) -- Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, report that the growth of brain cells, which normally ends in adolescence, can be re-stimulated using a mechanism dubbed ''Notch'' signaling. The finding may pave the way toward a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease and other brain disorders, the investigators suggest. Brain cells or neurons grow rapidly by extending branches or neurites that connect to other neurons from birth until adolescence, when they stabilize. These nerve branches are important for brain functions, such as forming long-term memories. Previous research has suggested that the Notch signal mechanism dictates when a neuron should extend its branches. Like a light switch, the Notch signal can be turned on and off, according to a report published in the October 22nd issue of the journal Science. And now scientists have figured out how the process is controlled. It is possible that Notch signaling may play a role in the memory loss that occurs with Alzheimer's disease, the researchers speculate. ``One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the alteration of brain cell processes that can lead to irreversible memory loss and (intellectual) abilities characteristic of the disorder,'' lead researcher Dr. Pasko Rakic, professor and chair of neurobiology at Yale, commented in a press release. ``While we are still trying to determine what role Notch signaling plays in Alzheimer's, the results of this study could open possibilities for treating and preventing these kinds of brain disorders.'' In a telephone interview with Reuters Health, Rakic added, ''Our results not only help in our understanding of brain development, but they also have considerable implications for designing new treatments for many neurological disorders. Now we are looking for the way to keep old neurons healthy and stable so they don't lose memory function.'' Approximately 4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior, according to the Alzheimer's Association in Chicago, Illinois. SOURCE: Science 1999;286:741-746. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=12622