Can you recognize an old friend, but forget what you had for breakfast yesterday? Our brains constantly rearrange their circuitry to retain information, but the molecular basis behind this process isn't well understood. New research suggests that complex sugars called glycosaminoglycans might play a major role in the 'plasticity' of the brains of mice and could be used to repair neural connections after injury.
Can you recognize someone you haven't seen in years, but forget what you had for breakfast yesterday? Our brains constantly rearrange their circuitry to remember familiar faces or learn new skills, but the molecular basis of this process isn't well understood. Today, scientists report that sulfate groups on complex sugar molecules called glycosaminoglycans affect"plasticity" in the brains of mice.
The sugars that sweeten fruits, candies or cakes are actually just a few simple varieties of the many types of sugars that exist. When strung together, they can make a wide array of complex sugars. GAGs are formed by then attaching other chemical structures, including sulfate groups. "These sugars regulate numerous proteins, and their structures change during development and with disease," she explains. Hsieh-Wilson is at the California Institute of Technology.
One way a GAG's function can be changed is through sulfation motifs, or patterns of sulfate groups tacked onto the sugar chains. Hsieh-Wilson's team is interested in how those sulfation patterns become altered, and how they might regulate biological processes such as neuroplasticity and social memory. This could also one day allow researchers to modulate these functions as a potential treatment for central nervous system injuries, neurodegenerative diseases or psychiatric disorders.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source of hidden consciousness in 'comatose' brain injury patients found -- ScienceDailyResearchers have identified brain circuits that, when injured, make conscious patients with acute brain injury appear unresponsive, a phenomenon known as hidden consciousness.
Read more »
Brain Injury News -- ScienceDailyMedical research on concussion, stoke an other brain injury. Learn how CT scans may not show extent of brain damage and that some brain cells can regenerate. Read about brain injury recovery.
Read more »
Improved survival for incurable brain tumor, providing 'a crack in the armor' -- ScienceDailyResearchers have found a potential drug candidate that improved outcomes for patients with a type of childhood brain tumor for which there are no effective treatments. The compound, called ONC201, nearly doubled survival for patients with diffuse midline glioma (DMG) or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), compared to previous patients.
Read more »
Brain Tumor News -- ScienceDailyWhat are the risks, symptoms and treatment options for brain tumors and other cancers? Read current medical research and news articles on brain tumor surgery and related information.
Read more »
How cold temperatures trigger the brain to boost appetite -- ScienceDailyScientists' discovery could lead to new weight loss and metabolic health treatments.
Read more »
Computer Modeling News -- ScienceDailyComputer modeling in engineering, weather modeling, climate modeling, medical modeling and work-related computer simulations. Read the latest research using computer models here.
Read more »