Alzheimer, bored is the worst for the brain

March 7, 2013
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According to a study published in the journal Neuron, “exposure to a stimulating environment and new activities can have beneficial effects, superior even to extreme exercise, which is known to generate new neurons, when it comes to delay the onset Alzheimer’s disease. “

Dennis Selkoe, an expert in the investigation of this neurodegenerative disorder, research and leads his team unravel the molecular mechanisms by which the development of new activities help protect the hippocampus, a brain structure associated with learning and memory, the harmful effects of the protein amyloid-related cognitive decline that accompanies Alzheimer’s disease.

Selkoe said, “At least it’s what happens in laboratory mice genetically unmodified exposed to human amyloid protein oligomers, apparently a better model of this disease transgenic mice commonly used to study what happens in the sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for 90% of all cases.”

“It was found that activities involve novelty for rodents, which is known as a rich environment for rodents, activates a receptor known type beta-2-adrenoceptor, which reduces the damage of the amyloid protein in the brain. Specifically improves long-term potentiation, a mechanism involved in learning and memory, that failure in people with Alzheimer’s. “