The brain is filled with an intricate weaving of signaling pathways and transmissions. A negative affect that arises from this complicated web is the accumulation of deposits of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which cause Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding how theses pathways affect each other can help us prevent or cure AD.
Insulin signaling has an important role in the brain and is connected to the amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles. Insulin resistance is an issue that can worsen AD. When someone is insulin resistant, cells do respond properly to insulin, thus insulin cannot get into the brain as well. This throws off the concentration of insulin in the brain, which is very important for memory and cognitive functioning.
Curing AD could only just be the start of medical advancements coming from further understanding of neuropathways. Protecting the brain from age-related neuronal loss could be a possible use of this information to expand the lifespan of humans. Doing this would bring up many moral and social issues that would become involved. Playing god could be one objection along with increasing heath care costs for the elderly. A lot more work and research needs to be done before this could become a reality. If longevity of a lifespan was desired, manipulating these complex pathways could solve the mental aspect.
Fountain of Youth Found in Neuroscience
