A new study published in Neuron, led by Juan Song, PhD, sheds light on how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain. The findings could lead to new forms of therapy.
Alzheimer’s disease not only robs people of their memory but also affects mood, often causing anxiety and depression. Until now, scientists haven’t fully understood how these symptoms are connected in the brain.
The study, published in Neuron and led by UNC School of Medicine’s Juan Song, PhD, focused on two distinct groups of brain cells in a region called the supramammillary nucleus (SuM) located in the posterior hypothalamus – a small region deep in the brain. One group helps regulate memory, while the other influences emotional responses. While examining Alzheimer’s model mice, researchers discovered these two circuits do not function properly, but when the team used light-based stimulation to activate each pathway, they were able to restore memory or emotional function separately.
Original full article can be found here.