清華大學醫(yī)學院學習與記憶研究中心主任劉國松教授領(lǐng)導的科研小組近日研發(fā)出一種新型鎂化合物,，通過口服該化合物可有效提高鼠大腦內(nèi)鎂離子水平并顯著增強年輕及老年大鼠的學習與記憶能力,。
他們首次揭示了鎂離子作為一種細胞內(nèi)含量最高的二價金屬離子對維持大腦學習與記憶功能的重要調(diào)節(jié)作用，并提示補充鎂離子可能成為預防和治療腦衰老疾病的重要途徑,。該研究結(jié)果在2010年1月28日出版的世界神經(jīng)科學領(lǐng)域一流學術(shù)期刊《神經(jīng)元》上發(fā)表,。
據(jù)介紹，正常情況下,，人體內(nèi)的鎂離子可以通過食物攝取獲得,，許多天然食物，如南瓜子,、海帶,、菠菜、堅果等都富含鎂離子,。然而,，隨著工業(yè)化的進程，食物的精細加工導致食物中的鎂含量下降,，以及飲食結(jié)構(gòu)的變化導致老年人鎂攝入不足,。該研究提示鎂攝入不足可能是導致人類大腦學習記憶功能下降的重要因素。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Neuron, Volume 65, Issue 2, 165-177, 28 January 2010
Enhancement of Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain Magnesium
Inna Slutsky, Nashat Abumaria, Long-Jun Wu, Chao Huang, Ling Zhang, Bo Li, Xiang Zhao, Arvind Govindarajan, Ming-Gao Zhao, Min Zhuo, Susumu Tonegawa, Guosong Liu
Learning and memory are fundamental brain functions affected by dietary and environmental factors. Here, we show that increasing brain magnesium using a newly developed magnesium compound (magnesium-L-threonate, MgT) leads to the enhancement of learning abilities, working memory, and short- and long-term memory in rats. The pattern completion ability was also improved in aged rats. MgT-treated rats had higher density of synaptophysin-/synaptobrevin-positive puncta in DG and CA1 subregions of hippocampus that were correlated with memory improvement. Functionally, magnesium increased the number of functional presynaptic release sites, while it reduced their release probability. The resultant synaptic reconfiguration enabled selective enhancement of synaptic transmission for burst inputs. Coupled with concurrent upregulation of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors and its downstream signaling, synaptic plasticity induced by correlated inputs was enhanced. Our findings suggest that an increase in brain magnesium enhances both short-term synaptic facilitation and long-term potentiation and improves learning and memory functions.
