骨髄移植による認知症発症メカニズムの解析

抄録

Dementia, characterized by cognitive and memory deficits, leads to brain atrophy, cell death, and insoluble substance accumulation. Alzheimer's disease (AD), linked to the APP gene, is the most common dementia type. Amyloid-beta's production and aggregation can forecast AD progression 20 years before onset, though the exact triggers remain unclear. Treatments focus on symptoms, with no cure available. Juvenile Alzheimer's in Down syndrome adults is prevalent and resembles isolated Alzheimer's, making it a preventive treatment target (Fortea et al., Lancet, 2020). However, its initial pathogenesis is still unknown (Flores Aguilar et al., Brain, 2020). Our study found that wild type mice transplanted with hematopoietic stem cells from Down syndrome models had impaired short-term memory, indicating bone marrow-derived cells' influence on brain memory. Analyses of hippocampal neurons also showed changed neuronal properties. We are currently examining the mechanisms behind brain function changes induced by bone marrow transplantation, and further investigation is vital for understanding dementia's pathogenesis and opening paths for therapeutic development.