Inducing hibernation could help to stop neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's

01/15/2015 - 00:00

  By James Gallagher -<br><br>Bears, hedgehogs and mice destroy brain connections as they enter hibernation, and repair them as they wake up. <br><br>A UK team discovered "cold-shock chemicals" that trigger the process. They used theses to prevent brain cells dying in animals, and say that restoring lost memories may eventually be possible.<br><br><br><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30812438">READ MORE ON BBC | HEALTH</a><br><br>Ref:  RBM3 mediates structural plasticity and protective effects of cooling in neurodegeneration. Nature (2015) <a href="http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038%2Fnature14142?shared_access_token=cK7SoxlRdlA6f4J27KVRstRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OYtG7fi1UW2smN9EFFw7sf-29Yxn_OBY_K5qb75b4PBtVi9X-qUNrECHxv9BE1bdGj4MNgIugF1GDn_PZ0o-pnGz1GDnEzRMWdMUYgZ-70tNh1nnTftTWrHZmYnmpR-MiG2GQxm6nHGqeuK5lfep15-DdFz1vkYJH5DMWnvI39EZBYlKJ-SMWQgg7wdts0xSI%3D">doi:10.1038/nature14142</a>