Investigation of the role of central transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 ion channels in neurodegeneration-related dementias

Pécsi Tudományegyetem

Gyógyszertudomány Doktori Iskola

Gasznerné Kormos Viktória

elméleti orvostudományok

Dementia is a group of progressive neurological diseases associated with a decline in memory, thinking and cognitive function, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide due to an ageing population. Dementias have a significant impact on the quality of life, not only for those affected, but also for carers and families. Cognitive and functional decline leaves people in need of long-term care and places a huge economic burden on society. Prevention and treatment of dementia would be crucial, which raises the importance of this research topic. Our group has recently shown that the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) ion channel is expressed in multiple domains in mouse and human CNS. TRPA1 is a non-selective cation channel its endogenous agonists include mediators released during inflammatory and degenerative processes (e.g. lipid peroxidation products, free radicals, fatty acids). Upon activation, Ca2+ influx occurs, which influences intracellular processes and plays an important role in modulating degeneration, inflammation or apoptosis. Both our own data and literature suggest a role for TRPA1 in neurodegenerative pathologies. Our aim is therefore to explore the possible role of TRPA1 in mouse models of dementia, complemented by the study of human brain samples. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying dementia may bring us closer to mitigating the effects of the disease and identifying new therapeutic targets.

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PTE ÁOK

2025-05-16