Each week, we learn more and more about how our brains work (or not). And, with that knowledge comes our ability to deal with diseases that have scared us for decades- Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Autism.
Now, a research group under the direction of Dr. Ilana Gozes (Tel Aviv University) may be able to link a few maladies to a single neuroprotective protein. ADNP (and it’s derivative, NAP) may be instrumental in these age and gender related maladies. ADNP is the abbreviation for Activity-Dependent Neuroprotector homeobox. We first found homeoboxes 30 years ago- these chemicals are comprised of about 180 base pairs (DNA sequences) that reside within our genes. Their function is to regulate morphogenesis (anatomical development)- this particular homeobox is critical for embryonic development and brain formation. NAP is the 8 amino acid peptide associated with ADNP.
Dr. Gozes has discerned that ADNP acts differently in males and females. More to the point, mutations in ADNP can lead to Autism and Alzheimer’s in the subjects with such mutations. If NAP is lost, the cells undergo physical damage that can lead to the total cell disintegration, resulting in dementia associated maladies (such as Alzheimer’s). If one adds NAP to the cells, those very cells become healthy again. Consider what that means for those suffering from Alzheimer’s, as an example.
The group’s most recent study (published in the Journal of Translational Psychiatry), examines male and female mice who have both normal and altered ADNP functionality. In removing one copy of the ADNP gene, object recognition and social memory were affected in younger male mice. (These are the characteristics of autism related disorders [ASD].) For the older females, there were symptoms of withdrawal and social deficiency, upon manipulaton. (These are the characteristics of dementia; in particular- Alzheimer’s.)
As you may recall from my other posts, ASD affects some 1.5% of children born- and the proportion of boys affected is roughly thrice that of girls. Women over the age of 60 are about twice as likely to manifest Alzheimer’s as would men.
This is yet another instance (a phenomenon rarely examined in years past) that gender related (and age-related) affects in clinical trials become vitally important. Let’s see what the human trials and additional tests can afford us in our quest to alleviate the manifestations of these two devastating ailments.
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