Scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus believe they have identified the key process contributing to cognitive decline associated with normal aging.
The process involves the misregulation of a brain protein known as CaMKII, which plays an essential role in memory and learning.
In a study published in the journal Science Signaling, the research team demonstrated that altering the CaMKII brain protein in mouse models resulted in cognitive effects similar to those that occur with normal aging.
Professor Ulli Bayer, co-senior author of the study, explained that aging in both mice and humans decreases a process known as S-nitrosylation, which involves the modification of specific brain proteins, including CaMKII.
“A decrease in this modification of CaMKII is sufficient to cause impairments in synaptic plasticity and in memory that are similar in aging,” Bayer said.
As we age, the level of nitric oxide in our bodies drops, leading to reduced nitrosylation. This decrease, in turn, reduces memory and learning capabilities.
However, this discovery may provide the groundwork for the development of drugs or other therapeutic interventions that could normalize the nitrosylation of the protein, possibly preventing or delaying normal cognitive decline.
Professor Bayer noted that this approach would only be effective in tackling cognitive decline associated with normal aging, and not the decline observed in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
He stated, “We know this protein can be targeted. And we think it could be done pharmacologically. That is the next logical step.”
This opens up the possibility of specific pharmacological treatment strategies that could help mitigate cognitive decline in aging individuals.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about why some older people less likely to have Alzheimer’s disease, and this daily habit could help treat Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about common food that may reduce vascular disease in the brain, and results showing these antioxidants could help reduce the risk of dementia.
The study was published in Science Signaling.
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