DNA Damage Part of Normal Brain Activity

Neurons in the brain cells (Photo: ScienceDaily)

SAN FRANCISCO - A team of researchers at the Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, United States (U.S.) have found that the DNA damage is a common thing that happens in brain cells.
Reported by ScienceDaily, Monday (03/25/2013), the team found the malicious processes on the example mice with Alzheimer's disease. Earlier, a team of researchers have long known if DNA damage occurs in every cell in the brain and will accumulate with age.
But some damage in the DNA, known as double-strand break (DSB), has long been regarded as a major cause of age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's. Accumulation of amyloid-beta protein in the brain, increasing the number of neurons in the DSB.
"They found that mice with a history of Alzheimer's disease, suggests preliminary DBS levels higher than normal mice. The present invention provides a new understanding of the mechanisms underlying this deadly disease, "said one of the researchers from the Salk Institute, Fred H. Gage, PhD.
The team of researchers from the Laboratory of Gladstone Senior Investigator, Lennart Mucke, MD, reported in his article in Nature Neuroscience, that the brain can function normally despite the DSB in nerve cells, as long as the DSB is able to be controlled properly.
In laboratory tests, the two groups of mice tested how the degree of absorption of new information on the neurons. Both were released to explore the new environment.
The researchers then examined the neurons from these mice to determine the level of DBSnya. The control group showed an increase in DBS right after they explore a new environment, but DBS decreased when they returned to their home cage.
The first group was genetically modified to be able to simulate aspects of Alzheimer's. While the other group was not given a modification of the so-called control group. After two hours, the two groups of rats were returned to their home cage.
In contrast, in the group of rats that were modified to simulate Alzheimer's have a higher rate of DSB in the beginning. Then the rate is increasing during the given nerve stimulation. In addition, the team also saw a substantial delay in the DNA repair process.
The team's findings suggest that in order to restore communication between the brain neurons and memory in people with Alzheimer's is to maintain a balance between DNA damage and repair gradually through medication.(Amr)
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