Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The brain plays an important role in aging processand scientists believe they have identified the specific cells that control it.
In a study with mice, Allen Institute researchers identified certain cells that showed “significant changes” with age, particularly at a specific “hotspot,” according to a news release.
Mice were chosen because their brains share “many similarities” with human brains.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY CAN PROTECT AGAINST HEART ATTACKS, STROKES AND TYPE 2 DIABETES, STUDY SUGGESTS
“Our brain is made up of thousands of cell types that carry out different functions,” Hongkui Zeng, co-author of the study and director of the Allen Institute for Brain Sciences in Seattle, told Fox News Digital. “Our study shows that different cell types are differentially susceptible to the aging process.”
The research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was published in the journal Nature.
The researchers used RNA sequencing and brain mapping tools to analyze more than 1.2 million brain cells from young mice (2 months) and older mice (18 months).
PROTECTING DEMENTIA MEANS MORE READING, PRAYING AND LISTENING TO MUSIC: STUDY
The 18-month-old mice are roughly equivalent to a “middle-aged human,” the researchers noted.
The researchers grouped the cells into 847 different types and also identified almost 2,500 genes that changed with aging, according to Zeng.
Cells that were linked to aging showed increased inflammation and decreased “neuronal function.”
“Changes in these genes point to impaired neuronal structure and function in many neuronal and glial cell types, as well as increased immune response and inflammation in immune and vascular (blood vessel) cell types in the brain,” Zeng detailed.
5 GREAT ALZHEIMER DISCOVERIES MADE BY SCIENTISTS IN 2024
The cells that experienced the greatest changes were those in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain related to food intake, energy balance and metabolism, the researchers noted.
This suggests that this area is a “hotspot for aging,” Zeng noted, and that there could be a connection between diet, lifestyle factorsBrain aging and risk of age-related cognitive disorders.
“The study’s findings reinforce the notion that maintaining a healthy lifestyle“Promoting a healthy metabolic state and reducing inflammation in the body and brain could slow or delay the aging process and reduce the risks of brain diseases associated with aging,” he said.
According to the researchers, the hope is that this discovery could lead to new age-related therapies to improve the function of these cells and help prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
“Aging is the most important risk factor for many brain diseases,” Zeng noted.
“Our study provides a very detailed genetic map of which types of brain cells may be most affected by aging and suggests new genes and cellular targets for developing new treatments for aging-related brain diseases.”
The study had some limitations, the authors acknowledged.
“The main limitation of our study is that the findings are correlational,” Zeng said.
“We do not yet know whether the changes in gene expression observed in specific cell types are causal to brain aging. Our study lays the groundwork by providing a detailed genetic map and cellular targets.”
Zeng asked future studies investigate the role of cells in aging and determine whether reversing the changes could slow the aging process.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Dr. Earnest Lee Murray, a certified neurologist of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee, said the new research adds to existing evidence supporting the role of diet in human brain health.
The detailed “brain roadmap” will be very beneficial for future aging research and possible therapies, according to Murray, who was not involved in the study.
Inflammation has been known to play a role in age-related chronic diseases for some time. like Alzheimer’sthe neurologist pointed out.
“There is growing evidence that many chronic diseases are preventable, and often it comes down to diet and exercise“he told Fox News Digital.
For more health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
“Altering the diet to exclude processed foods and starting some habits like intermittent fasting have been shown to reduce this cellular inflammation that seems to be causing so many diseases.”
