A team from the US and Sweden uncovers a complex interaction between LXR and TR receptors that work in tandem to support brain health, EurekAlert reports . The researchers found that the liver and thyroid receptors represent a single pathway through which the endocrine system regulates cholesterol homeostasis.
Experiments have shown that both receptors are necessary for normal brain development and function. For example, the liver receptor LXR plays a critical role in regulating thyroid hormone function in the brain. Loss of LXR function leads to neurodegeneration in several areas of the brain.
The discovery could revolutionize our understanding of neurodegeneration and lead to new treatments for dementia, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions. Scientists now plan to use the new targets to prevent or reverse these diseases.
In future experiments, they will test LXR activation to combat amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.
Previously, other scientists had found that Alzheimer's disease damages the brain in two stages. First, only a few types of vulnerable brain cells are damaged, and then, in the second stage, more extensive damage occurs, accompanied by external symptoms.