Why fat is good for the brain: new data
Fatty acids and cholesterol stimulate neurogenesis
Kirill Stasevich, CompulentaEven in the adult brain, there are stem cells that can turn into mature neurons.
And scientists have been trying to find out for a long time what controls the formation of new nerve cells. So, it was found out that a receptor protein called "hepatic receptor X" stimulates the development of several types of neurons, among which, for example, there are those that use dopamine. (Initially, this receptor, as the name suggests, was found in the liver, where its functioning was associated with the development or non-development of diabetes, but then it was found in other cells.)
Rat brain fragment: nerve stem cells are colored blue,
which turn into mature glial cells (red) and neurons (green).
Photo: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
Researchers from the Karolinska Institute (Sweden), who were the first to describe the participation of the hepatic receptor X in neurogenesis, were able to identify those substances that help him in this. It turned out that in order to start the formation of new neurons, two "fatty" molecules are needed: cholic acid, a derivative of bile acid, and a substance 24.25-EC, a derivative of cholesterol. Cholic acid stimulates the development of neurons of the red nucleus, a structure that is needed for the integration of different parts of the brain. And 24.25-EC triggers the development of dopamine-synthesizing neurons necessary for controlling muscle activity and the musculoskeletal system in general. The scientists obtained the initial data both in experiments with Danio rerio fish and in experiments with mice.
Dopamine-synthesizing neurons die primarily in Parkinson's disease, which explains the motor disorders accompanying this disorder. Perhaps, with the help of cholesterol derivatives, it will be possible to spur the formation of new neurons in the brain that could replace those who died due to the disease. In any case, it is obvious that cholesterol (and fatty acids) are not only overweight, vascular problems, etc. These are also compounds necessary for the body, which reveal themselves in the most unexpected processes, without which, it is possible, even the brain would not be able to work correctly.
The results of the study are being prepared for publication in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
Prepared based on the materials of the Karolinska Institute: Fat influences decisions taken by brain cells for production and survival.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru25.12.2012