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Zinc is a vital micronutrient involved in many cellular processes: For example, in learning and memory processes, it plays a role that is not yet understood. By using nanoelectrochemical measurements, Swedish researchers have made progress toward understanding by demonstrating that zinc influences the release of messenger molecules. As reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie, zinc changes the number of messenger molecules stored in vesicles and the dynamics of their release from the cell.
When signals are transmitted by synapses, messenger molecules (neurotransmitters) are released from storage chambers (synaptic vesicles) into the synaptic cleft, where they are "recognized" by neighboring nerve cells. This release is based on exocytosis: The vesicle docks at the cell membrane, opens at the point of contact, releases part of its contents to the outside, closes, and separates from the plasma membrane so it can be refilled.
Treatment with zinc results in more messenger molecules being released.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 22 2017, @08:19PM
10-20 years ago there was a cold cure on the market that was a zinc solution meant to be applied by cotton swab into the nasal membranes. My mother is a sucker for all kinds of alternative medicine and tried this a few times. It seemed to be effective in shortening the time to throw off a cold. However, she also lost her sense of smell almost completely. I think this was a common result, and that product is off the market.
While limited sense of smell means that is is hard for her to enjoy food, there is an upside for us kids -- when we visit Mom for dinner, the food is a lot spicier than it used to be -- she adds more hot spices so that she can small/taste something.