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Secret to improving decision-making revealed

Paid Post:City University of Hong Kong
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Professor Li Ying from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at City University of Hong Kong.

A research team led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has discovered a brain signalling molecule that can improve decision-making performance.

The research team is led by Professor Li Ying of the Department of Biomedical Sciences.

The ground-breaking discovery involves the role of astrocytes in the decision-making dysfunction caused by chronic pain. They found that L-lactate, an important energy substrate, can improve decision-making performance.

The discovery paves the way for effectively mitigating cognitive disorders caused by chronic pain. The correlation between chronic pain and brain functions is a core area of Professor Li’s work.

Astrocytes, star-shaped cells in the central nervous system, are well equipped to influence neuronal functions. The researchers found that L-lactate released by astrocytes are utilised by neurons to affect information flow and synchrony in the brain neural circuitry.

Astrocytes
Astrocytes
 

The clinical connection between pain and increases in levels of anxiety, depression and cognitive disorders such as impaired decision making has long been recognised. The published data from their research shows that impaired L-lactate release may be one of the factors in cognitive deficit in chronic visceral pain.

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