Scientists from Tokyo Medical and Dental University have found something exciting that could help protect memory as we get older.
Their study focused on melatonin, a hormone that helps us sleep, and the substances it turns into after entering the body, known as metabolites.
The research team, including Dr. Atsuhiko Hattori, discovered that one of melatonin’s metabolites, called AMK, might play a special role in improving memory and fighting memory loss.
To test their idea, the scientists used mice, which are often used in memory studies because of their natural curiosity. Normally, if you show mice one object they’ve seen before and one that’s new, they spend more time looking at the new one. This shows that they remember the familiar object.
But when mice begin to experience memory problems, they stop making this distinction. They treat all objects as new, a sign that their memory is declining—similar to how memory problems appear in people.
In the experiment, the mice were shown some objects. Then, about an hour later, the scientists gave them melatonin or one of its metabolites, including AMK. The next day, the mice were tested to see if they remembered the objects. The results showed a big improvement in memory, especially in the mice that received AMK.
The scientists also found that all three metabolites of melatonin collected in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps store long-term memories. When they blocked melatonin from turning into AMK, the memory-boosting effect disappeared. This showed that AMK is likely the key to the memory benefits.
What makes this study especially exciting is that the improved memory was seen in mice of all ages—including older ones. Since memory loss and cognitive decline are common problems as people age, the scientists hope this could help humans too.
If future studies in people show the same results, AMK could become a useful tool to reduce memory problems in older adults. It might even help delay or stop conditions like Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which sometimes leads to Alzheimer’s disease.
This study was published in the Journal of Pineal Research and gives new hope for ways to protect brain health. The idea that something as simple as a melatonin byproduct could help improve memory could lead to new treatments for age-related memory loss.
Although more research is needed to test this in people, this discovery is a big step forward. It shows that melatonin’s benefits go beyond sleep and may offer protection for our brain and memory.
In the future, AMK-based treatments might help people stay mentally sharp and prevent serious memory diseases. This is an exciting development for scientists working on ways to keep our brains healthy as we age.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Early heart rhythm problem linked to higher dementia risk and findings of Green leafy vegetables may help reduce Alzheimer’s risk.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Research shows an important cause of frontotemporal dementia and findings of New way to detect Lewy body disease early, a leading cause of dementia.
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