The role of irisin on the central nervous system and glucose metabolism in male and female C57BL/6 mice in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) model

• Grant number: 25/04313-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - General Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Carlos Boschiero
• Grantee: Andressa de Sousa Moura
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/04664-7 - Molecular mechanisms involved in pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and death in Diabetes Mellitus: strategies for the inhibition of these processes and restoration of the insular mass, AP.TEM

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that mainly affects people over 65 years of age. It is characterized by cognitive deterioration, memory loss, and neuropsychiatric and behavioral symptoms that impair daily activities (Alzheimer's Disease International, 2023). AD accounts for approximately 70% of dementia cases, with more than 55 million people affected globally in 2021. In Brazil, it is estimated that 1.2 million people suffer from dementia, with 100,000 new cases per year. The causes of AD are complex, involving genetic factors and aging. The most widely accepted hypothesis highlights the deposition of toxic proteins, such as amyloid-¿ (A¿), and neurofibrillary tangles of TAU protein. These processes result in neuronal death and cognitive decline. Gender differences also influence the progression of AD. Women have a twice as high risk of mortality when compared to men with AD. Women tend to have a longer life expectancy in aging, which may influence the risk of dementia throughout life. There are complex associations between sex and the APOE ¿4 gene in cognitive decline and clinical progression. Irisin, a hormone released during physical activity, exerts neuroprotective functions, promoting neurogenesis, neuroplasticity and the production of BDNF, an essential factor for neuronal protection. Its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier highlights its therapeutic potential. (AU)