Brain-Protective Molecule May Preserve Memory With Age
Researchers have identified a gene called Pla2g2f that produces an enzyme capable of protecting the brain from age-related cognitive decline. This discovery offers new insights into how the brain maintains resilience against synapse loss and inflammation.
Why it matters
Understanding these biological mechanisms could lead to new therapeutic strategies for preventing or treating Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
Cinzia Vicidomini, PhD , and Amar Sahay, PhD, of the Mass General Brigham Department of Psychiatry, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, are the lead and senior authors of a paper published in Nature Neuroscience, "An aging-sensitive secreted phospholipase confers neuroprotection and cognitive resilience."
Q: What challenges or unmet needs make this study important?
As humans age, both protective and harmful biological processes shape brain health. When the balance shifts in favor of harmful processes, age-related changes in the brain can accelerate, including synapse loss, disruptions in lipid metabolism and chronic inflammation.
One contributor to neuroinflammation appears to be the buildup of lipid droplets inside microglia, the brain's immune cells. As lipid droplets accumulate, microglia become less effective at clearing waste, maintaining synapses and supporting neurons.
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