Have you ever heard of an astrocyte? This star-shaped cell is found throughout the nervous system. Normally, healthy astrocytes protect motor neurons from damage or degeneration. But according to Medical XPress, researchers recently found that astrocyte changes can cause health issues – potentially driving the development of conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Findings from studies looking into toxic astrocyte changes can be found published in Genome Research and Brain.
Astrocyte Research
To begin, what exactly is an astrocyte? Britannica defines an astrocyte as a star-shaped cell, or a type of neuroglia, which:
[divides] after injury to the nervous system and [occupies] the spaces left by injured neurons. Astrocytes are also thought to have high-affinity uptake systems for neurotransmitters such as glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Researchers and scientists from the Francis Crick Institute sought to understand what role astrocyte changes played in ALS. Within the Genome Research study, researchers explored and analyzed data from public datasets of astrocytes and ALS. The data came from both humans with ALS and mice models of ALS. Findings include:
- In ALS, astrocyte changes cause the cells to become pro-inflammatory. As a result, the inflammation damages motor neurons.
- As the astrocytes became pro-inflammatory, the cells also lost glutamate uptake properties. Again, this is damaging to motor neurons.
- Ultimately, toxic astrocyte changes need to be addressed to slow or halt disease progression.
Next, the study from Brain evaluated molecular patterns associated with astrocytes and astrocyte changes. First, the researchers determined known ALS-causing mutations. Next, researchers saw that these mutations could cause astrocyte damage and change – especially if no immune cells were waiting nearby. Astrocyte changes were also dependent on gene mutations, meaning these toxic changes may differ from patient to patient. However, in the future, these findings could be used to develop new therapeutic targets and create effective, specialized treatments for those with ALS.
About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
In around 5-10% of diagnoses, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is familial – or caused by genetic mutations. However, the cause of ALS on a broader scale is generally unknown. Doctors believe genetic and environmental factors may play a role. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by brain stem, spinal cord, and brain nerve cell death. As a result, those affected experience muscle weakness and loss of voluntary movement and control. ALS affects more males than females, and typically older individuals over younger individuals. This condition is variable, but symptoms may include:
- Frequent tripping and falling
- Difficulty speaking, swallowing, walking, or performing small movements
- Slowed or slurred speech
- Weakness in the arms, legs, and hands
- Depression and anxiety
- Poor balance and posture
- Muscle cramps and twitching
