Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that starts with mild memory loss and progresses to the loss of the ability to carry out daily activities, ultimately leading to death. Recent advances in stem cell research have led to the development of in vitro self-assembling 3-dimensional models of the human brain, called human brain organoids, which can model pathological processes of AD assess the effectiveness of various drug treatments. This literature review will synthesize the research done on the use of 3D human brain organoids to model AD pathology and its use in developing and assessing treatments for AD.
Defects in neurulation, a process in vertebrate embryonic development that forms the neural tube and eventually the central nervous system, lead to a range of disorders characterized by malformation of the brain and spinal cord. Past studies have shown that folate, a nutrient involved in the biomolecule-synthesizing one-carbon metabolism, plays a vital role in reducing the occurrence of these congenital malformations. Further investigation of lesser-known nutrients involved in the one-carbon metabolism may provide new insight on preventative measures. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of nutrients implicated in the embryonic process of neurulation and how they are interrelated in one-carbon metabolism.
Bang! The pain reverberates through your skull as you sluggishly move, recovering from the initial hit. However, the effects of your accident will stay with you longer than you think.
Psychedelic drugs are far from what is considered to be conventional medicine. An infamous history of misuse has stigmatized psychedelics, making it difficult to garner support for its use as a potential therapeutic tool. However, among working adults, taking low doses of psychedelics has recently gained popularity in its ability to boost productivity, reduce anxiety and depression ...
Marijuana, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is defined as “a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa” and all other relatives, including Cannabis indica, Cannabis ruderalis, and hybrids [1]. The mind-altering effects of marijuana are mainly due to the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, and it is the active ingredient ...
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a terminal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline. As the most common cause of dementia, AD affects over 24 million people worldwide, and this number is only expected to increase due to greater life expectancies. Although this disease affects a great number of people, there is currently much that remains unknown about it ...
SV2A is a synaptic vesicle protein, which participates in the regulation of neurotransmitter release in humans. SV2A is expressed in neurons and endocrine cells. The exact function of SV2A is still unknown, but it has been identified that SV2A is the binding site for the antiepileptic drug, levetiracetam. Levetiracetam reduces presynaptic glutamate release, especially in neurons with high frequency firing.
A group of researchers studying brain cells have found a new potential target for pharmacological therapies that may help treat Alzheimer’s disease. Beta amyloid plaque, which appears to be a toxic build up of fragments of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in the brain, has long been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and has been one of the major targets for Alzheimer’s treatment ...
