Enhanced Neuroplasticity by the Metabolic Enhancer Piracetam Associated with Improved Mitochondrial Dynamics and Altered Permeability Transition Pore Function

Figure 4

Piracetam improves mitochondrial dynamics in a cell model of early sporadic Alzheimer’s disease. (a) Under normal conditions, piracetam (Pira) shows no effect in SH SY5Y Ctl cells but (b) shifts mitochondrial fragmentation induced by an additional APP copy back to baseline conditions. SH-SY5Y cells were seeded and incubated for one day. Afterwards, incubation was started with 1 mM piracetam (Pira). After 72 hours, cells were stained and fixed for analysis of mitochondrial dynamics. ((c), (d)) Representative pictures of SH-SY5Y Ctl and ((e), (f)) SH-SY5Y APPwt cells treated with piracetam; scale bar represents 10 µm. Data are represented as mean ± SEM; Two-Way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s posttest (, compared to untreated control cells); .

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