Could a Dose of Sunshine Make You Smarter?


Moderate #ultraviolet light exposure boosts the #brainpower of mice.Thanks to increased production of the neurotransmitter #glutamate. sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major cause of #skincancer, but it offers some health benefits too, such as boosting production of essential #vitamin D and improving #mood. Researchers have discovered that, in mice, exposure to UV light activates a #molecularpathway that increases production of the #brainchemical glutamate, heightening the animals’ ability to learn and remember. It showed that UV light enhanced electrical transmission between glutaminergic neurons in brain slices taken from animals exposed to UV, but not in those from control animals. This UV-induced effect was prevented when the researchers inhibited activity of the enzyme urokinase, which converts #urocanicacid to glutamate, indicating that the acid was indeed the mediator of the UV-induced boost in #glutami https://goo.gl/Y2Mx5Y

Comments

Popular Posts