Wen Zilong, a professor of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), kept more than 30,000 transparent tropical fish in water tanks of the university. He said these genetically modified zebrafish might be holding the key to finding the cure for dementia as their nervous system were similar to humans.
Professor Wen and his team of scientists studied how the brain of the fish develops. They found out that a disruption in stem cells' development might lead to developing neurodegenerative disorders - a group of illnesses affecting thousands of people in Hong Kong every year. The researchers recently received the Croucher Innovation Award for their breakthrough discovery, according to the South China Morning Post.
In the study, the team put about 30 newborn zebrafish into a separate tank, which they started studying the transparent nervous system of the fish in 2016 using light-induced mapping technology. They were able to observe the relationship between microglial cells - a type of hematopoietic cell - and what's the role of these cells in triggering dementia.
Professor Wen explained that microglia are the immune cells of the central nervous system, where they work altogether in case the brain was infected or inflamed. These cells can vacuum up destroyed cells, as well as cells infected from bacteria.
The research team concluded that the number of microglial cells could affect a person's vulnerability towards dementia. They believed that the findings could be holding the key to developing therapy or medications to delay the onset of diseases including Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's, among elderly people.
However, Professor Wen also noted that further research is still needed before such treatments could be developed for dementia. The illness affects the function of the brain such as judgment, learning, comprehension, thinking, memory - which can eventually lead to death.
"There's still a long way to go [before a cure could be developed]," the professor said.
The team will continue looking into the development and pathway of the receptors, so they could observe how to regulate and monitor the evolution of the cell. Then, they will intercept them accordingly to control different diseases of the brain.
The prevalence rate of dementia among aged 65 and above in Hong Kong is estimated to be between 5 percent and 8 percent. By the year 2036, it is expected there will be 2.3 million people aged 65 and above affected with the illness. And as the population of Hong Kong ages, dementia will likely afflict a third of the city's elderly aged 80 or over by 2050.
