All articles tagged with #pericytes
A Bristol/UCL study suggests GLP-1 weight-loss meds like semaglutide and liraglutide may protect heart tissue after a heart attack by relaxing pericytes and widening microvessels to prevent ‘no-reflow’—a finding from animal studies that hints at repurposing these drugs for post-infarct cardioprotection, though human trials are needed.
A study published in Brain shows that fragmented sleep damages brain blood vessels by affecting pericytes, which may increase the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, highlighting the importance of sleep health for brain vascular integrity.
Neurons have long been considered the primary cells involved in memory formation, but a new study in rodents suggests that pericytes, cells found in the blood vessels of the brain, play a crucial role in collaborating with neurons to form and store long-term memories. Pericytes produce a protein called insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) in response to neuronal activity, and this production is necessary for successful memory formation. Understanding the cooperation between different cell types in memory formation could advance therapeutics for memory-related diseases such as Alzheimer's. Further research is needed to explore the involvement of pericytes in memory formation in humans.
Neuroscientists in New York have discovered that pericytes, a type of structural cell that wraps around blood vessels, may play a crucial role in the formation and storage of long-term memories. This breakthrough could provide new insights into neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, which affect millions of people worldwide. The study found that pericytes produce a protein called insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) in response to brain activity, and when this gene was removed from the pericytes, the animals' long-term memories were significantly impaired. Further research in this area could lead to the development of new treatments for memory-related afflictions.