Glutamate and GABA: Important Players in Brain Health
Glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are two important chemicals in the brain that have a big impact on diseases that affect our nerves. Let’s break it down!
What It Does: Glutamate is the main “go” signal in the brain. It helps with learning and remembering things.
What Happens When It Gets Too High: If there’s too much glutamate, it can hurt brain cells. This is called excitotoxicity. It’s like when too much electricity can fry a circuit.
Facts to Know: Research shows that high levels of glutamate can be found in some diseases like ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). About 30 out of 100 people with ALS have more glutamate in their spinal fluid, and this can relate to how their disease gets worse.
What It Does: GABA is the main “stop” signal in the brain. It works opposite to glutamate, calming things down.
What Happens When It Gets Too Low: If GABA is not doing its job, it can make nerve cells too excited. This is connected to problems in diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Facts to Know: In Alzheimer’s disease, losing GABA-producing neurons can lead to a 20% decrease in GABA levels in the part of the brain that helps us think, making it harder to remember things.
Glutamate and GABA need to work together to keep our brain healthy. When there are problems with these chemicals, it can lead to various nerve diseases. Scientists are looking for ways to help by reducing high glutamate levels and boosting GABA activity.
Glutamate and GABA: Important Players in Brain Health
Glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are two important chemicals in the brain that have a big impact on diseases that affect our nerves. Let’s break it down!
What It Does: Glutamate is the main “go” signal in the brain. It helps with learning and remembering things.
What Happens When It Gets Too High: If there’s too much glutamate, it can hurt brain cells. This is called excitotoxicity. It’s like when too much electricity can fry a circuit.
Facts to Know: Research shows that high levels of glutamate can be found in some diseases like ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). About 30 out of 100 people with ALS have more glutamate in their spinal fluid, and this can relate to how their disease gets worse.
What It Does: GABA is the main “stop” signal in the brain. It works opposite to glutamate, calming things down.
What Happens When It Gets Too Low: If GABA is not doing its job, it can make nerve cells too excited. This is connected to problems in diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Facts to Know: In Alzheimer’s disease, losing GABA-producing neurons can lead to a 20% decrease in GABA levels in the part of the brain that helps us think, making it harder to remember things.
Glutamate and GABA need to work together to keep our brain healthy. When there are problems with these chemicals, it can lead to various nerve diseases. Scientists are looking for ways to help by reducing high glutamate levels and boosting GABA activity.