A cure for neurodegenerative diseases might be frolicking through the mountains.
New research from Shanghai Jiao Tong [Jyeow-tong] University identified a genetic mutation in yaks, the long-haired domesticated relatives of cows, that allows them to thrive in high-altitude environments. Scientists believe that a gene variation called Retsat protects the animal’s brain in low-oxygen climates, a feature that could potentially treat neurological complications in people with multiple sclerosis. One of the effects of this disease is low oxygen levels in the brain.
When studying the animal’s brain, researchers noticed an abundance of nerve fibers coated in a fatty material called myelin, whose production requires large amounts of oxygen. In people with MS, the immune system attacks myelin, weakening communication among various brain regions and leading to issues with balance and coordination, among other symptoms.
To understand how the yak’s unique gene could potentially protect brain health, the team applied the mutation to mouse models. In one group, researchers placed the mice at 5,800-meter altitudes for a week and observed not only increased myelin levels in the brain, but also heightened social behavior, learning and memory performance. When they tested the Retsat gene on mice with MS-related brain damage, the team observed a significant improvement in their condition.
Though the research has a long way to go before it reaches humans, studies like these help remind us that potential scientific breakthroughs are all around us … and sometimes above, with hooves and horns.