Date: 13.10.2011
Melatonin, best known for its role in sleep regulation, delayed the onset of symptoms and reduced mortality in a mouse model of Huntington's disease, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. Their findings, published today in the Journal of Neuroscience, show for the first time that certain receptors for the hormone reside in the mitochondria, and that there are fewer of them both in affected mice and human brains.
For the study, the researchers injected HD mice daily with either melatonin or a placebo, evaluated them weekly for signs of the disease, and examined their brain tissue after death. They found that melatonin treatment delayed the onset of disease by 19 percent, slowed disease progression and prolonged life span by 18 percent.
Gate2Biotech - Biotechnology Portal - All Czech Biotechnology information in one place.
ISSN 1802-2685
This website is maintained by: CREOS CZ
© 2006 - 2024 South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovative Enterprising (JAIP)
Interesting biotechnology content:
Cancer cells - Czech Scientists are Working to Find the Achilles‘ Heel of Cancer Cells
Bioenergy 2007 - Conference bioenergy 2007
Scientists 3D-print hair follicles in lab-grown skin
Recurrent UTIs banished for up to nine years by simple oral spray