Friday fish is good for the brain
21 April 2006
Fish is definitely on the menu as scientists determine how its oil plays an essential role in the growth of brain cells. Following on from their discovery last year of the contribution of the protein syntaxin to the brain function1, the researchers from Cambridge have found that the fatty acids omega-3 (found in fish) and omega-6 (found in meat) are essential to the activity of syntaxin.
This work done in the Medical Research Council (MRC) 2 Laboratory of Molecular Biology, uncovers the mechanism by which omega-3 fatty acid helps the brain grow. Further research could now lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s or help victims of brain damage and spinal cord injuries.
The boundary of every cell in the body is the cell membrane, which must expand to allow cell growth, such as neuronal growth in the brain. Now, the MRC scientists, Frederic Darios and Bazbek Davletov, have discovered that a tiny protein called syntaxin 3 not only controls growth of brain cells, but is directly activated by the omega molecules. In fact, the presence of omega-3 and omega-6 is necessary for syntaxin to engage with other proteins in the brain. The scientists report their findings in the journal Nature3.
Dr Davletov, who led the research, says “The human brain is highly enriched in omega-3, so eating omega-3 rich foods in early childhood is good for brain development. Identifying the link between omega-3 and syntaxin should allow us to find new consumable substances that could be beneficial for neural growth.”
He added “The discovery that syntaxin is an important sensor molecule for omega-3 in neuronal growth was unexpected. It underscores the need to carry out molecular scientific research, which not only advances knowledge, but also provides direction for the development of new drugs to tackle crippling conditions, dietary guidance and influences public health.”
For further information, or to request an interview with Dr Bazbek Davletov please contact the MRC press office on 020 7637 6011.
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