Development of Alzheimer's Treatment Substance... Remarkable Progress in Korean Neuroscience Level

Ministry of Science and ICT: "Consecutive Papers Gaining International Attention"

Reference photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Notable papers are continuously emerging in the field of brain science in Korea.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 20th, the government has been conducting a foundational technology development project in the brain science field since 2006 to produce various outstanding achievements. Among the 492 SCI papers published from 2018 to last year, 51 papers (10%) ranked in the top 10% by citation index. The patent application efficiency per 1 billion KRW of government funding averages 3.5 cases over three years, which is 1.8 times higher than the national R&D project average of 1.9 cases.

In particular, remarkable international achievements have recently been made. The research team led by Kim Myung-ok at Gyeongsang National University recently developed nine new peptides derived from natural protein substances that can be used as treatments for Alzheimer's disease. Peptides are biomolecules composed of amino acids that perform various functions in the body in the form of hormones, enzymes, antibodies, and more.

The research team focused on the pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease, which is the decline in energy metabolism of nerve cells, and developed a substance homologous to adiponectin (a protein secreted by fat cells involved in glucose and fat metabolism) that promotes energy metabolism in brain tissue. This approach, viewing the cause of Alzheimer's disease from the perspective of decreased brain energy metabolism, was recognized for proposing a new paradigm for mechanism elucidation and treatment methods.

The research results were published online on the 13th in the world-renowned journal Molecular Neurodegeneration (Molecular Neurodegeneration, impact factor 10, top 4% in JCR). Related patents have been registered not only in Korea but also in the United States, China, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

The research team led by Jung Won-seok at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) revealed through a paper published in the prestigious international journal Nature in December last year that synaptic remodeling of the adult brain by astrocytes is an essential mechanism for maintaining normal neural networks and memory formation. Astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the brain, contacting synapses and capillaries, and maintaining brain homeostasis through various roles. Professor Jung’s team presented a new perspective on how neural circuits can change during learning, memory, and disease, and it is expected to contribute to various future studies on brain function and the maintenance of homeostasis in related neural circuits.

The research team led by Professor Jung Eun-ji at Yonsei University also achieved a breakthrough by elucidating the principle that astrocytes in the sensory cortex secrete neurotransmitters to regulate the transmission of sensory signals in nerve cells, thereby controlling tactile sensitivity. This achievement was published in the international journal Neuron in November last year. The study revealed that not only nerve cells but also astrocytes play a central role in cognitive function. It is expected to open a groundbreaking path for the treatment of various brain disorders such as autism, where sensory impairments and abnormalities are observed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.