As related memory and schizophrenia
Yourself to remember information for a short time - for example, a phone number - is a fundamental capability of the human brain. This so-called working memory makes us able to understand us surrounding environment. For maintaining an intact working memory, the brain uses a lot of energy - in many psychiatric disorders, it is disturbed. Researchers at Transfakultären research platform "Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences' (MCN) of the University of Basel and University Psychiatric Clinics now describe a network of genes that controls basic properties of nerve cells and associated with working memory, brain activity and schizophrenia.
Ion channels with effects
In the study examined Angela Heck the genetic basis of working memory in young and elderly healthy over 2800 panelists. To identify from the entire genome of the subjects biologically meaningful gene groups, they used bioinformatic methods. When analyzing stabbed a specific gene group - namely, those of the voltage-gated ion channels - clear out. Just these molecules are responsible for a fundamental property of nerve cells: their electrical excitability. Then, the same method was applied to a population of over 32'000 patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers - the ion channels were also among the groups of genes with the genome-wide strongest effects.
In a further step Matthias Fastenrath examined by means of functional imaging brain activity of about 700 healthy participants while they solved a working memory task. The gene group of ion channels correlated greatly with the activity in two different brain regions in wholesale and cerebellum. From previous studies it is known that exactly these two brain areas contribute to maintaining a healthy working memory. Molecules that control the electrical excitability of nerve cells, thus play an important role for an intact working memory and for the function of defined areas of the brain. Any disturbance of this mechanism could lead to the development of schizophrenia.
Starting point for drugs
The results of the study help to understand the molecular basis of important memory processes and psychiatric diseases. The results provide a good basis for the development of drugs for the treatment of memory disorders and psychiatric disorders.
The transfacultary research platform MCN is a joint institution of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Basel and the University Psychiatric Clinics Basel. Your goal is to drive forward research into the neurobiological basis of cognitive and emotional processes in humans and contribute to the development of new therapies for psychiatric disorders. For the methodological cornerstones include human genetics and functional brain imaging. The platform will be jointly led by Prof. Dominique de Quervain and Prof. Andreas Papassotiropoulos.
original article
Heck, A., Fastenrath, M., Ackermann, S., Auschra, B., Bickel, H., Coynel, D., Gschwind, L., Jessen, F., Kaduszkiewicz, H. Maier, W., Milnik, A., Pentzek, M., Riedel-Heller, SG, Ripke, S., Spalek, K., Sullivan, P., Vogler, C., Wagner, M., Weyerer, S., Wolfgruber, S. , de Quervain, DJF, Papassotiropoulos, A. Converging genetic and functional brain imaging evidence left neuronal excitability to working memory, psychiatric disease, and brain activity. Neuron (2014) |
DOI: 10.1016 / j.neuron.2014.01.010
Source: Basel [University]
