Neurotransmitter Switch Solution for Cognitive Damage

A new survey conduct by neurobiologist at the University of California San Diego has identify a mechanism in the brain that generate drug-induce cognitive damage. The research_worker investigate how methamphetamine and phencyclidine ( PCP ) induce a decrease in cognitive ability by causing nerve_cell to switch neurotransmitter. This procedure, know as neurotransmitter switch, is a form of brain malleability that has been associate to cognitive damage result from drug abuse.

The probe, light-emitting_diode by Assistant Project Scientist Marta Pratelli, found that both methamphetamine and PCP cause a switch from the excitant neurotransmitter glutamate to the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma_aminobutyric_acid in the Lapp nerve_cell in the cerebral cerebral_cortex. This switch was associate with a decrease in memory undertaking performance, which was change_by_reversal when the expression of GABA was barricade in drug-treat mouse. The research_worker were able to reverse this neurotransmitter switch exploitation molecular tool to decrease brain activity or by exploitation an major_tranquilizer drug, clozapine.

The survey also uncover that a drug-induce addition in dopamine release and electrical activity in nerve_cell in the cerebral cerebral_cortex were necessity to produce the neurotransmitter switch. This share and reversible mechanism was found to regulate cognitive deficit cause by exposure to different drug. The research_worker believe that a deep understanding of these brain mechanism could lead to new treatment not only for drug maltreatment but also for other cognitive disorders.

The research team include Marta Pratelli, Anna Hakimi, Arth Thaker, Hyeonseok Jang, Hui-quan Li, Swetha Godavarthi, Byung Kook Lim, and Nicholas Spitzer. The survey was fund by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Overland Foundation. These findings highlight the potential for target manipulation of neural activity to extenuate the negative effects of drug maltreatment and better cognitive function in person affect by substance use disorders.

In decision, the survey stress the importance of understanding the complex mechanism underlie cognitive damage cause by drug maltreatment. By identify particular neurotransmitter switch in the brain, research_worker may be able to develop new treatment that could benefit person fight with cognitive deficit result from substance maltreatment. foster research in this area could lead to advanced therapy not only for methamphetamine and health_professional user but also for person with other cognitive disorders.