Highlights:
A team of scientists from the San Francisco Medical Centre, University of California, discovered that cancerous cells link up with healthy brain cells to become hyperactive, causing rapid cognitive loss and death in patients. This discovery could lead to a fundamental change in the treatment of cancerous brain tumors.
The research, led by Indian Saritha Krishna, also discovered that a regularly used anti-seizure medication proved beneficial in lowering the hyperactivity of tumor cells and even halting their growth. The findings were published in the most recent issue of the science journal Nature (1✔ ✔Trusted Source- Cancerous brain cells hijack and modify neural circuitry, leading to hyperactivity and cognitive decline
- The anti-seizure medication gabapentin shows promise in reducing hyperexcitability and inhibiting tumor growth
- This groundbreaking research opens new possibilities for effective treatment techniques and drug development for glioblastoma
Glioblastoma remodelling of human neural circuits decreases survival
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About Brain Tumor
Brain tumors are the abnormal growth of brain cells that may be benign or metastatic. Brain tumors account for about 2.4% of all the tumor diagnosesandare most challenging due to their critically delicate location.
Brain tumors are the abnormal growth of brain cells that may be benign or metastatic. Brain tumors account for about 2.4% of all the tumor diagnosesandare most challenging due to their critically delicate location.
‘Scientists discover cancerous brain cells hijack neural circuitry, causing hyperactivity and cognitive decline. Exciting potential in using gabapentin to reduce hyperexcitability and halt tumor growth. A breakthrough for glioblastoma treatment and drug development. #BrainTumor #MedicalResearch’
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Unveiling the Brain Tumor's Influence on Neural Communication and Cognitive Decline
Scientists discovered that the communication between healthy brain cells and malignant cells can be altered to reduce or even stop tumor growth. According to the study, these findings will be more advantageous to patients with glioblastoma, which is the most lethal of adult brain malignancies.Ms. Krishna and her colleague Shawn Hervey-Jumper discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which brain tumors hijack and modify brain circuitry, causing a decline in cognitive activities in glioma patients, while recording brain activity in patients undergoing awake-brain tumor surgery.
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Brain Tumor in Children - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
An abnormal growth of cells in the brain is called brain tumor. Most tumors arise within the brain (primary). They can be benign or cancerous.
An abnormal growth of cells in the brain is called brain tumor. Most tumors arise within the brain (primary). They can be benign or cancerous.
How Brain Tumors Influence Neural Connections and Cognitive Function
Ms. Krishna, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and the paper's lead author told PTI that when patients were given language tasks during awake brain surgery, we found activation in tumour-infiltrated brain regions that were remote and farther away from the language brain zones, in addition to the commonly known language areas of the brain.This unexpected discovery demonstrated that cancer cells can hijack and rearrange connections in surrounding brain tissue to make them hyperactive, hastening cognitive deterioration and decreasing patients' lifetimes. This compelled the researchers to use brain organoids (small bundles of neurons produced from human stem cells) and animal models engrafted with human glioblastoma cells to conduct detailed biological characterization of the linked tumor cells.
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Glioblastoma Multiforme | Astrocytoma Grade 4 - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Glioblastomas are tumors that arise from astrocytes that make up the supportive tissue of the brain. Glioblastomas are usually highly malignant.
Glioblastomas are tumors that arise from astrocytes that make up the supportive tissue of the brain. Glioblastomas are usually highly malignant.
Gabapentin's Dual Role in Reducing Neuronal Hyperexcitability and Inhibiting Tumor Growth
"These experiments revealed a key role of a protein called 'thrombospondin-1' in this neuronal hyperexcitability and that the drug, gabapentin, a commonly used anti-seizure medication, successfully reduced neuronal hyperexcitability and halted further tumour growth," the study quoted.According to the researchers, this discovery could be extremely useful in establishing more effective treatment techniques for deadly cancer like glioblastoma. "Besides this known anti-seizure activity, this study discovering the anti-tumour effect of gabapentin using mouse models highlights the potential of repurposing this existing drug to target tumour growth, thereby expediting therapeutic drug development for patients with malignant glioma," Saritha said.
Furthermore, the fundamental revelation about cancer cells hijacking brain circuitry will lead to the development of medications and neuromodulation techniques that can sever neuronal linkups with brain cancer cells to limit tumor growth, she added.
Reference:
- Glioblastoma remodelling of human neural circuits decreases survival - (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06036-1)
Brain Metastasis - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
Brain metastases are caused by the spread of primary tumors to the brain. Lung, breast, melanoma are the three main tumors that cause brain metastases.
Brain metastases are caused by the spread of primary tumors to the brain. Lung, breast, melanoma are the three main tumors that cause brain metastases.
