Dr kempermann psychologie

Causes of this are molecular mechanisms that affect gene regulation. These current findings from studies in mice provide clues as to why an active, varied life can help preserve mental fitness in old age. Human DNA — and this also applies to mice — contains thousands of genes. However, it is not only the genetic blueprint that is decisive for the function of a cell and whether it is healthy or not, but above all which genes can be switched on or off.

Aging, living conditions, and behavior are known to influence this ability to activate genes. For this, researchers including Dr. Sara Zocher and Prof. Gerd Kempermann examined mice that had grown up in different environments. The rodents of a second group did not have such occupational opportunities.

Attachments to the DNA When the scientists examined the genome, they found that in those mice that grew up in the stimulating environment, there was, with age, only a relatively small change in certain chemical tags of the DNA. In mice from the low-stimulus environment, these changes were much more pronounced — in comparison between young and older animals.

Rather, they influence whether individual genes can be activated or not. Thus, in old mice raised in a varied environment, gene activity had, in a sense, remained young. In particular, this affected a series of genes relevant to growing new neurons and cellular connections in the hippocampus. The current study did not include behavioral experiments.

However, Kempermann points out that many other studies have shown that mice raised in high-stimulus settings perform better on memory tests than those from low-stimulus environments. Here, the situation is likely to be more complicated. After all, it is about how living conditions influence behavior and the way humans react to external stimuli is much more complex than in mice.

However, we have good reasons to believe that the basic epigenetic principles are the same in humans as in mice. Original Publication Environmental enrichment preserves a young DNA methylation landscape in the aged mouse hippocampus , Zocher et al. It is comprised of ten sites across Germany and cooperates closely with universities, university hospitals, and other research institutions on a national and international level.

The DZNE is publicly funded and a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.

Rückfallprophylaxe bei Depression

Web: www. About the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden CRTD The Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden CRTD of TU Dresden is academic home for scientists from more than 30 nations. Their mission is to discover the principles of cell and tissue regeneration and leveraging this for recognition, treatment and reversal of diseases. The CRTD links the bench to the clinic, scientists to clinicians to pool expertise in stem cells, developmental biology, gene-editing and regeneration towards innovative therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, hematological diseases such as leukemia, metabolic diseases such as diabetes, retina and bone diseases.

Media inquiries: Dr. Magdalena Gonciarz Technische Universität Dresden Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering CMCB.

Frau Dr. med. Uta Kempermann

Marcus Neitzert DZNE, Communications Tel. Skip to main navigation Skip to secondary navigation Skip to search Skip to content. Magdalena Gonciarz Technische Universität Dresden Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering CMCB Dr. Magdalena Gonciarz. Last modified: Jun 29, Page Actions Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Print Page Send Page Via Email.