Tag: Brain

Excited neurons
The pro-Alzheimer's allele APOE4 makes hippocampal neurons in mice smaller and hyperexcitable. This effect, which resembles epilepsy and accelerated aging, can be mitigated by manipulating a neuronal protein [1]. Before symptoms arise Alzheimer's disease begins long before symptoms appear, building silently for decades. The single strongest genetic risk factor for the common, late-onset form of...
Waking up after surgery
Researchers have discovered a potential treatment for post-operative delirium, which accelerates cognitive decline in older people. A common problem with long-term effects Roughly a quarter of older people suffer from delirium after surgery [1], which rises to around half if the surgery is particularly invasive or high-risk [2]. This increases the length of hospital stays...
Gut-brain axis
A new study suggests that microbiome remodeling is a mechanism behind age-related cognitive decline, with one particular bacterial species identified as the likely culprit. In mice, antibiotics seem to reverse this effect [1]. The gut-brain axis and the microbiome Memory decline is a common and debilitating feature of aging, but its mechanisms remain poorly understood....
Cryogenics
In a new study, researchers have vitrified mouse brain slices and then a complete brain with encouraging results: upon rewarming, much of the neuronal function was preserved [1]. The bumpy road to cryopreservation Successful cryopreservation is a coveted prize in medicine, as cryopreserving organs and tissues can make transplantation more accessible. It is also a...
Woman lifting weight
Using brain clock models that analyzed MRI images of the brains of elderly people who underwent one year of resistance training, researchers concluded that both heavy and moderate resistance training slow brain aging [1]. The broad benefits Exercise has been linked to many benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, slowing down cancer progression, preventing fitness...
Neuron
In Aging Cell, researchers have explained how the sirtuin SIRT6 protects against proteostasis-related brain disorders by maintaining the function of nucleoli and limiting protein production. The nucleus and nucleoli Loss of ProteostasisThe loss of proteostasis is the failure of the protein-building machinery of the cell and the accumulation of misfolded proteins, which is one of...