A research team at Cambridge University have recently discovered that cold-water swimming could hold the key to unlocking a dementia treatment.1 Work carried out by Professor Giovanna Mallucci and her team at the University of Cambridge, is still in its early stages and is yet to be published; but the identification of a human ‘cold-shock’, RNA-binding protein (RBM3), is considered to be an exciting development.1
Hibernation as restoration
From science to science fiction, the principle of cooling people down to protect their brains is not uncommon; it’s a popular technique employed during surgery or care for premature babies.2 In neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, connections in the brain called synapses begin to degrade.3 This can cause the characteristic symptoms such as memory loss, confusion and the death of entire neurons.
During hibernation, species such as bats, hedgehogs and bears lose a considerable amount of their brain cells.4 Yet, by the time they rise from their 6-month sleep in the spring, all those connections are recovered.4
The key was in the mice
The research team at Cambridge have linked cold-shock compounds, such as RBM3, to the process responsible for this regeneration.4 They found that mice with low levels of RBM3 could not regenerate their pre-existing synapses. These mice were suffering from a neurodegenerative disease such as Prion or Alzheimer’s.4 Simultaneously, under the same conditions, ordinary mice who underwent the same hibernation boasted soaring levels of RBM3.4 Such studies have provided a great deal of excitement by directly harnessing cold-shock proteins as potential preventative treatments.
Barmy British swimmers
With this exciting lead, the next step was to find out if regenerative neuroplasticity is also related to RBM3 in humans. This, however, raises obvious ethical concerns around creating hypothermic conditions in volunteers.
RBM3 had yet to be found in the human bloodstream until recently, when it was discovered in the serum of regular winter swimmers at Parliament Hill Lido in London.1 Over three winters, the dementia team at Cambridge collected data from these swimmers and a nearby control group.1 The winter swimmers regularly subjected themselves to hypothermic temperatures and a significant number of them were found to have raised RBM3 levels in their blood. Comparatively, not a single member of the control group, who did not endure these hypothermic temperatures, showed any increase in RBM3.1
Is hypothermia the cure?
It is unlikely that hypothermia is the cure. Cold water can be incredibly dangerous, and cold-water swimming should only be attempted by those who are fit and healthy. The dangers of swimming in cold water likely outweigh any potential benefit. However, these recent discoveries may open the next door to a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases.
With the number of dementia sufferers predicted to rise 131.5 million by 2050,4 the potential for a drug that could promote the expression of RBM3 (without the risk of hypothermia) could be very exciting indeed.
By Dan Lynes
