From the ArcaMax Publishing, Science & Technology Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/technology/s-344986-752006
SAN FRANCISCO (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've found modulating
enkephalin peptide activity in the brain might reduce the cognitive
deficits of Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Lennart Mucke and colleagues at the Gladstone Institute of
Neurological Disease, using a mouse model, made the discovery.
Enkephalins are part of the endogenous opioid system, which modulates
learning and memory and other brain functions.
"The enkephalin pathway is an intriguing candidate for us because it
is involved in many functions that are affected by Alzheimer's and
other neurodegenerative diseases," said Mucke, the institute's
director. "We were not sure, though, whether it contributed causally
to the disease or acts as a compensatory mechanism.
"Our results indicate that the high levels of enkephalins may
contribute to cognitive impairments
in AD patients," said Mucke.
"Although these are early results, they are encouraging and may lead
the way to a new AD therapy based on limiting enkephalin production or
signaling."
The study that included William Meilandt, Gui-Qiu Yy, Jeannie Chin,
Erik Roberson, Jorge Palop, Tiffany Wu and Kimberly Scearce-Levie
appears in the Journal of Neuroscience.