2023-09-17 11:33:42
A new study suggests that staying fit can help prevent the disease / Pexels
The benefits of exercise on health in general and on mental and cognitive health in particular have been the subject of intense research in recent times. In news that could change the way we understand and approach Alzheimer’s disease, a recent study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has revealed a promising link between exercise and protection against this devastating disease.
The work, published in the prestigious scientific journal Neuron, sheds light on the role of the hormone irisin in the prevention of Alzheimer’s. Irisin, a hormone released and circulating in the body during exercise, has proven to be a key player in the fight against this disease.
To understand the importance of this discovery, we must first understand amyloid plaques, which are the result of the accumulation of a protein in the extraneuronal space of the brain in people affected by Alzheimer’s. These plaques act as barriers that interfere with communication between neurons and cause their degeneration, leading to loss of memory and other cognitive functions.
MGH researchers discovered that irisin has the ability to signal immune cells in the brain to produce more neprilysin, an enzyme whose function is to break down these amyloid plaques. When irisin levels increase, a process is activated that helps keep the buildup of amyloid plaques at bay, thus protecting the brain.
One of the most intriguing findings is that physical exercise increases circulating irisin levels. This muscle-derived hormone, in addition to regulating glucose and lipid metabolism in adipose tissue, also increases energy expenditure by accelerating the conversion of white adipose tissue. In short, exercise not only benefits the body, it also stimulates the production of irisin, which has a protective effect on the brain.
The researchers applied irisin to cellular models of Alzheimer’s disease in a laboratory and observed a significant decrease in the amount of amyloid. This finding not only supports the idea that exercise can be an effective way to prevent dementia, but also opens the door to new treatment opportunities.
Dr. Se Hoon Choi, from the MGH Genetics and Aging Research Unit, highlighted that “treatment with irisin led to a notable reduction in amyloid beta pathology.” Furthermore, they demonstrated that this effect was due to the increase in the activity of neprilysin, thanks to the high levels of this enzyme secreted by brain cells called astrocytes.
The results of this study offer a new treatment avenue for the prevention and management of Alzheimer’s disease. Although it was known that physical exercise could reduce amyloid beta deposits in Alzheimer’s disease, the specific mechanisms were not fully understood. Now, with the crucial role of irisin at stake, a new window of opportunity opens in the fight against this devastating disease.
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