Dual role of brain glycogen revealed by researchers
Friday, February 28, 2014 - 07:01
in Health & Medicine
Key questions regarding the activity of glycogen in neurons are answered in two recently published articles, building on years of research and publications. The authors postulated that glycogen is a lifeguard under oxygen depletion, a condition that leads the brains to shut down and that often occurs at birth and in cerebral infarctions in adults, which leads to severe consequences, such a cerebral paralysis. Their results are the first evidence that neurons constantly store glycogen by accumulating small amounts and using it as quickly as it becomes available. The beneficial and toxic roles of brain glycogen continue to be the main focus on ongoing research.