Our brain is a complex maze of nerves and even a small glitch can cause major problems. There are many diseases linked to the brain like Alzhiemer’s, schizophrenia, etc that have posed big questions in front of the researcher fraternity. Now according to a study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers from University of Leeds, UK and Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto have created bold and intelligent mice by altering a single gene. This little alteration resulted in mice that were less likely to feel anxiety or recall fear.

Researchers altered a gene to inhibit the activity of an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B), which is present in many organs of the vertebrate body, including the brain. In behavioural tests, the PDE4B-inhibited mice showed enhanced cognitive abilities. They tended to learn faster, remember events longer and solve complex exercises better than ordinary mice.

These brainy or smart mice were quicker at learning the location of a hidden escape platform in a test called Morris water maze, showed better quality than ordinary mice to recognise another mouse that they had been introduced to before and also had less recall of a fearful event after several days. They also showed less anxiety, spent more time in open, well-lit spaces as opposed to ordinary mice that prefer dark, enclosed spaces.

Though the study was conducted using mice, it is to be noted that the enzyme PDE4B is also present in humans. So it is hoped that this study could form the basis for research into new treatments for age-related cognitive decline, cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia, and other conditions. Dr Alexander McGirr, from the University of British Columbia, who co-led the study, opines:”In the future, medicines targeting PDE4B may potentially improve the lives of individuals with neuro-cognitive disorders and life-impairing anxiety, and they may have a time-limited role after traumatic events.”

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Author:Technology Blog