Scientists talked about the discovery of the FTL1 protein and its role in brain aging

Scientists at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered the FTL1 protein, the level of which increases with age and is directly associated with memory impairment and the destruction of neural connections in the brain. A decrease in the concentration of this protein in elderly mice led to the restoration of cognitive functions. This was reported on April 5 in the journal Science Daily.

"This is a real reversal of violations. It's about much more than just delaying or preventing symptoms," said Saul Villeda, deputy director of the UCSF Bakar Institute for the Study of Aging and lead author of the study.

To identify the molecular causes of age-related cognitive decline, the researchers tracked changes in genes and proteins in the hippocampus of mice, a brain structure responsible for learning and memory formation. Of all the compounds studied, only one protein consistently differed between young and old animals, FTL1. In older individuals, its concentration was higher, and the number of interneuronal connections in the hippocampus was lower; the results of cognitive tests were also significantly worse.

When scientists artificially increased the level of FTL1 in young mice, their brains began to resemble the brains of older individuals in structure and function. Laboratory experiments at the cellular level have shown that nerve cells with high protein concentrations formed simplified, shortened appendages instead of the branched networks typical of healthy nervous tissue.

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The most impressive result was obtained in the reverse experiment. After lowering the level of FTL1 in elderly mice, the number of interneuronal connections increased, and the performance in memory tests improved markedly. Additional experiments have established a connection between the protein and energy metabolism: increased FTL1 slowed down cellular metabolism in the hippocampus in old animals. However, the introduction of a compound that stimulates metabolism made it possible to neutralize this effect.

The hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to age-related changes: it is its damage that underlies memory disorders in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. The identification of the FTL1 protein as a key regulator of this process provides researchers with a specific molecular target for future therapeutic developments.

Neuroscientist Christian Jarrett explained in Science Focus on March 29 which six daily habits help maintain cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia with age.

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