The brain is the major energy consumer of our body; for proper functioning of the brain, neurons, and the surrounding cells mostly the astrocytes must cooperate. Insufficient supply of energy due to whichever reason leads to drop in memory.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease or AD is a neurological disorder marked by progressive memory decline and cognitive impairment. Basically, in AD the brain cells are caused to degenerate and die and mostly due to lesser nerve cell connections.
Amino acids essential for brain function
Amino acids such as D-Serine are vital to activate a type of neurotransmitter receptor in the brain called as N-methylate-D-aspartate receptor or NMDA receptor. L-Serine is a precursor for D-Serine; therefore a synthesis of L-Serine is pre-requirement for the making of D-Serine.
Enough glucose is essential for the biosynthesis of L-Serine
Synthesis of L-Serine is further dependent on glycolytic intermediates; therefore availability of glucose is a requirement for the proper functioning of the brain. Shortage in the concentration of glucose in the body may directly hamper the availability of ATP required to produce a proper amount of D and L-Serine.
Job of L-Serine in the brain
L-serine is a vital knot for the biosynthesis of molecules such phospholipids and sphingolipids. It provides carbon to the one-carbon pool that is concerned in folate (vitamin B9) metabolism, contributing to the synthesis of purine. This metabolic pathway is mainly necessary for the nervous system. In the brain, L-serine is the compulsory precursor of D-serine, a physiological ligand of the co-agonist spot of synaptic NMDARs present in the hippocampus, which is needed to maintain synaptic transmission. Therefore, failure in producing enough amount of L-serine would lead to disruption of these pathways.
L-Serine provided as a nutritional supplement can probably restore memories
Nutritional supplementation of L-serine may set off medical treatment, to fight early symptoms of disease metabolic discrepancy such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, or Alzheimer’s disease. As L-serine is obtainable as a nutritional supplement, this amino acid should be thoroughly tested in humans, from end to end restricted clinical trials.
