Groovy Science Shindig: Digging Deeper into Brain Malarkey
Giving the Grey Matter a Kick with New Tech
Researchers pursue understanding of Parkinson's and addiction through studying gene activity within the brain
In the brainy ol’ world of science, MIT has been a hub of activity lately. Two neuroscientists, Myriam Heiman and Alan Jasanoff, have snagged some sweet dough from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation. What are they up to, you ask? Hellhounds, they're mapping genes that help brain cells avoid the clutches of Parkinson's disease and tracking how genes in the brain alter in response to narcotics.
Myriam, the Brain-Blasting Brainiac
Myriam Heiman, an associate professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and a member of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, got her hands on $700,000. What's a gal gonna do with that much moolah? She's gonna put it towards an innovative method her lab has pioneered. They plan to conduct an unbiased screen in which they'll knock out each of the 22,000 genes expressed in the mouse brain one by one in neurons in disease model mice and healthy controls. The technique helps identify genes that are critical for neuron survival, potentially resulting in new drug targets.
"There is currently no molecular explanation for the brain cell loss seen in Parkinson's disease or a cure for this devastating disease," Heiman says. "With the Mathers foundation's generous support, our study will elucidate new therapeutic targets for the treatment, and even prevention, of Parkinson's disease."
Alan, the Dreamy MRI Maestro
On the other side, Alan Jasanoff, a professor in biological engineering, brain and cognitive sciences, nuclear science and engineering, and an associate investigator at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research who also helms MIT's Center for Neurobiological Engineering, got a whopping $1.95 million. This nerd knows a thing or two about sensors that keep tabs on molecular markers of neural activity in the living brain via noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scanning. He's developed some spiffy sensors, one of which detects dopamine, a key player in learning what behaviors give us rewards.
But here's the kicker: addictive drugs spike dopamine release, taking control of our brain's reward prediction system. Studies have shown that dopamine and drugs of abuse fire up gene transcription in specific brain regions. That gene expression shifts as animals are repeatedly dosed with dope. Jasanoff's plan is to build new MRI-detectable sensors for gene expression to map how the brain responds to drugs of abuse, both when users first get high and over repeated doses to simulate the experiences of substance-addled folk.
"Our studies will relate drug-induced brain activity to longer-term changes that reshape the brain in addiction," says Jasanoff. "We hope these studies will suggest new biomarkers or treatments."
Glimpsing Beyond the Horizon
As Lincoln once said, "the best way to predict the future is to create it." Researchers are eyeing integrating gene expression data with these unbiased screens to identify genes that help brain cells resist the siren song of Parkinson's disease. Moreover, understanding drug-induced changes in brain activity will be crucial for developing medicines that actually work.
[1] Genome-wide transcriptomic analyses in Parkinson's disease. Huttunen MJ, et al. Brain Res. 2011;1416:17–26.
[2] Parkinson's disease immune response: a new target for pharmacotherapy. Brundin P, Schapira AH. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2016;15:805–19.
[4] A spatial gene expression atlas maps quantitative variation of hundreds of genes in the CNS of young and old mice. Deane WW, et al. Cell Syst. 2018;6(1):178-193.
[5] Clinical trial of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. NCT04155869. National Library of Medicine, 2020.
- In the realm of science and innovation, researchers are focusing on battling neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, by exploring gene expression and drug-induced brain activity.
- Myriam Heiman, a researcher at MIT, is engaging in learning and research to map genes that help brain cells avoid the effects of Parkinson's disease and identify genes crucial for neuron survival, potentially leading to new therapies and treatments.
- Awards and funding, such as from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation, contribute to promising projects, like Heiman's research investigating unbiased screens for Parkinson's disease and the development of new therapies and treatments for medical-conditions like this one.
- Alan Jasanoff, another researcher at MIT, is working on developing MRI-detectable sensors for gene expression to understand drug-induced changes in brain activity in response to substances of abuse.
- Recognition in the forms of awards and attention from the press plays a significant role in spreading the word about groundbreaking research, like that happening in departments like brain and cognitive sciences and engineering at MIT.
- Research advancements in health and wellness, like the innovative transcriptomic analyses in Parkinson's disease, are pushing the boundaries of science, leading to better understanding of conditions like Parkinson's and potential solutions for health-related challenges.
- With the integration of gene expression data and unbiased screens, researchers may uncover new insights about the genetic factors contributing to the development and progression of neurological disorders, like Parkinson's disease, leading to treatments and even prevention strategies in the future.
