A study published in Nature reportedly suggests that people with Alzheimer's are still able to make new memories even while gripped by the condition, and that while they can store memories, problems may lie in their ability to retrieve them.
The study, conducted by neuroscientist Susumu Tonegawa and his team at RIKEN-MIT, involved mice with mutated genes that cause brain conditions similar to those present in Alzheimer's patients.
First, groups of mice were placed in a box and given an electric shock.
The control mice – those without the Alzheimer's-like mutation – became fearful of the box, because they could recall the painful experience.
The mutated mice, however, did not recall the experience and did not display fear when confronted with the box. For the purpose of the experiment, these mice were further genetically engineered to produce a light-sensitive protein in a part of the brain that encodes short-term memory, according to Nature magazine. When the affected neurons were activated with light, the mice were suddenly fearful, recalling the experience of being shocked.
To solidify this effect, the researchers caused the light to repeatedly flash, strengthening the connection in the brain. Once the neural pathway was established, the Alzheimer's-like mice remembered the shock stimulus from the box without the aid of the light.
• There are cautions, though, about applying the study to human Alzheimer's patients.
The brains of mice – and the way they develop Alzheimer's-like plaques – are different than those of humans, a UCLA neurosurgeon told Nature magazine. Additionally, scientists haven't figured out how to stimulate human brains using light.
Still, these findings could help plan a road map to treat those suffering from the disease.
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