While scientists have for years used mice, rats, monkeys and other animals in horrific brain experiments to try to derive explanations for the human craving for sweets, such experiments are unnecessary and inapplicable. In a new study, scientists used human volunteers and non-invasive brain imaging to investigate how sugar impacts the brain’s dopaminergic system.
While scientists have for years used mice, rats, monkeys and other
animals in horrific brain experiments to try to derive explanations
for the human craving for sweets, such experiments are unnecessary
and inapplicable. In a new study, scientists used human volunteers
and non-invasive brain imaging to investigate how sugar impacts the
brain’s dopaminergic system.
Other recent advances in research without animals include a
biomimetic model composed of human cells to study wounds and burns;
human-derived cell cultures and skin explant models instead of
infecting animals to reveal a possible new drug treatment for mpox;
and using high resolution spectroscopy to gain important insights
into treating deadly C. difficile infections.
Sweets change our brain
Researchers from Yale University and the Max Planck Institute for
Metabolism Research in Cologne, conducted a human-based study
instead of harming animals to learn more about the impact of sweets
and fat on the human brain.
Volunteers were divided into two groups; one received a small
pudding cup with high fat and sugar levels daily for eight weeks
while the other group consumed an alternative pudding cup with equal
calories but less sugar and fat.
At the end of the study, brain activity measurements using
functional MRI showed that the high-fat and high-sugar foods
activated the dopaminergic brain system, the region associated with
motivation and reward. The authors determined that the brain
therefore learns to prefer such foods.
Simulating cuts and burns reveals wound healing and clearing power
of fibroblasts
Researchers from Boston and Harvard Universities created a
biomimetic model to study wound healing. Because the model is
human-based and derived from human cells, it is more accurate than
animals and far more humane.
Researchers created an in vitro model consisting of fibroblasts in a
collagen hydrogel. They created two types of wounds in the model;
lacerations and burns. They found that because laceration wounds are
well-connected to blood, they heal more quickly. Burns, however,
have large amounts of dead tissue that gets in the way of the
healing process, resulting in cauterized blood vessels that slow the
healing process down.
The study suggests that burn healing could be improved with
therapies that accelerate wound clearance, such as genetically
engineered white blood cells designed to remove dead tissue.
Known active ingredient as new drug candidate against mpox
An international team led by researchers at Goethe University
Frankfurt, the Dr. Petra Joh-Research Institute and the University
of Kent used human-based methods instead of cruel and inapplicable
animal tests to study the rapidly spreading mpox, the virus formally
known as monkeypox.
Although some antivirals can inhibit the replication of mpox, they
have side effects and there are low stocks.
Using human-derived cell cultures and skin explant models,
researchers examined the efficacy of existing drugs and found that
the antibiotic nitroxoline showed promise to treat mpox.
Because nitroxoline is already approved for use in humans and
well-tolerated, it’s an excellent choice for fighting mpox.
Researchers uncover metabolic secrets of anaerobes and identify new strategies to treat C. difficile infections
Clostridiodes difficile
Clostridiodes difficile, a serious and hard to treat intestinal
microorganism, is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated
diarrhea and hospital-acquired infections, but has been difficult to
study because of a lack of adequate models.
Now, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) used innovative, nonanimal
technology to learn more.
They combined computational predictions with high-resolution magic
angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HRMAS NMR)
to explore the real-time metabolism of cells living in anaerobic
conditions. By tracking carbon and nitrogen flow in the anaerobic
environment, they discovered metabolic processes by which C.
difficile quickly colonizes the gut, as well as potential new
targets for therapeutics.