By activating special brain cells, the lifespan of mice can be extended. This has been shown by a study published in the journal. Cell Metabolism.
Recent studies show that the transmission of molecular signals between cells deteriorates with age. One example is the signal exchange line between the brain and white adipose tissue. Special brain cells secrete a protein called Ppp1r17, which causes fat cells to release acids into the bloodstream that can be used to sustain physical activity. Fat tissue responds by producing the protein eNAMPT, which returns to the brain and helps it produce fuel for its functions. With age, this connection breaks down and animals accumulate fat and less energy is supplied to their tissues.
In a new study, scientists developed genetically modified mice that were programmed to constantly activate the connection between the brain and fat tissue. The animals were more active, had better fur quality, and lived 7% longer than mice in which the same signaling pathway gradually slowed down as part of natural aging. For one person, this effect would be equivalent to an additional five years of active life. Additionally, in normal mice, the nervous system in the white adipose tissue shrinks and relaxes with age. However, it remained concentrated in modified animals.
“We have demonstrated a way to slow aging and extend the healthy lifespan of mice by manipulating a key part of the brain. The emergence of this effect in mammals is an important contribution to the field,” said senior author Shin-Ichiro Imai, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Developmental Biology at the University of Washington. “Previous studies showing this extension of duration were done in less complex organisms such as worms and fruit flies,” he said.
Previous scientists in the name Risk factor for poor blood flow to the brain.