Key proteins promote memory formation

If you ask an ordinary person what memory is, the answer may be images of childhood or past life, but neuroscientist Charles hoeffer thinks that the essence of memory is protein   For five years, Charles hoeffer, an assistant professor from Cu Boulder, has studied the role of Akt, a kind of kinase widely existing in brain tissue, in memory formation   In a recent study published in the Journal of life, hoeffer et al Found for the first time that Akt exists in three different types of brain cells, and has different effects on brain health This discovery will provide a new treatment plan for glioma, a malignant cancer, and also bring hope for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia In the 1970s, Akt was first discovered as a kind of "cancer gene", after which, Akt was found to promote the connection between brain cells   In this study, the authors silenced gene expression of three different types of Akt in the brain and observed the changes of brain activity The results showed that AKT2 was mainly expressed in astrocytes, which had an important effect on brain injury and brain cancer   In addition, AKT1 is widely distributed in neurons and plays an important role in memory formation AKT1 expression disorder will lead to memory formation impairment and schizophrenia and other brain abnormal symptoms Akt3 plays an important role in brain growth, and Akt3 silence will lead to brain volume reduction   The authors found that Akt broad-spectrum inhibitors have been used in cancer treatment, but they believe that based on this discovery, more specific targeted inhibitors can be designed, such as targeting AKT1 for Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia, targeting AKT2 for cancer, etc., so as to avoid the generation of side effects.