Scientists from the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology have compiled a “fat map” that shows the exact location of all lipids in different parts of the human brain. In the future, this development will help to accurately determine the causes and methods of treatment of certain mental disorders and cognitive diseases – for example, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, schizophrenia and others. explained RT scientists.
In the study, scientists determined how different types of fats are distributed across brain regions and the composition of neural tissue. They studied lipids, which are part of cell membranes and brain tissue. Today, scientists are actively investigating the links between lipids and brain health; in the future, the results of such studies may be used in medicine.
The authors of the study examined brain connectivity by determining molecular composition and estimating the charge and mass ratio. They examined 75 brain regions and found 419 different lipids. For example, they found that cholesterol levels were high in the subcortical part of the organ, while the prefrontal part was low.
In the future, the authors plan to further examine lipids in subcortical structures of the brain, and they also plan to include samples from patients with mental illness.
“Potentially, complete unraveling of the lipidome will help to understand the nature of mental disorders and their impact on the structure and functioning of the brain,” said Maria Osetrova, a research engineer at the Center for Neurobiology and Neurorehabilitation.
Before this, scientists to create the link between the level of acid in the brain and the presence of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, they found that high levels of lactate in the brain may be associated with mental retardation, autism, schizophrenia, depression, etc.
Earlier scientists I learnedthat a fat-based diet improves mental health.