Scientists at Brown University have discovered that old motor neurons don’t die, they just work more slowly. The research was published in the journal Clinical Research Insight.
As people age, it becomes increasingly difficult to perform tasks that require coordinated motor skills, such as climbing stairs.
In the new study, the scientists looked at spinal cord motor neurons in three animal species: humans, rhesus monkeys, and mice. These spinal cord cells connect the central nervous system to skeletal muscles and are involved in muscle contraction and relaxation. The scientists found that rather than the death of these neurons, as previously thought, the loss of connections between motor neurons in the spinal cord was associated with a violation of movement control.
“This is an important key finding because it tells us that treatment can prevent and reverse the motor deficits that come with age. If scientists can understand how to prevent synaptic degeneration or mimic its actions with pharmacological interventions, we can treat motor problems in the elderly,” he said.
The researchers also found that the number and size of motor neurons did not change significantly with aging. At the same time, they gradually increase the production of molecules that increase inflammation and disrupt the functioning of neurons. Some molecules that scientists have discovered associated with this process also play a role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.