Your brain needs protection to stay healthy, and one of its most important protectors is something called the blood-brain barrier.
This is a special system of tiny blood vessels that carefully controls what goes in and out of the brain. It keeps harmful substances out while letting in nutrients and removing waste.
Scientists at the University of Washington recently looked at more than 150 studies to understand how this barrier changes as we get older—and how those changes might affect memory and brain health.
They found that even small leaks in the blood-brain barrier could be linked to mild memory loss that often comes with aging. These leaks may also play a role in more serious brain problems, like Alzheimer’s disease.
In a healthy young person, the blood-brain barrier works like a tight security system. But as people get older, this system starts to weaken. In normal aging, there may be tiny leaks that don’t usually cause major problems, just some forgetfulness that’s considered a normal part of getting older.
However, people who have a certain gene called ApoE4 may have bigger problems. ApoE4 increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
In these people, the blood-brain barrier leaks more, and the brain has a harder time getting rid of a sticky protein called amyloid beta. This protein can build up in the brain and form plaques, which are one of the signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers also focused on two special types of cells that are part of the blood-brain barrier: pericytes and astrocytes. Pericytes help keep the barrier strong, but their numbers go down as we age—especially in people with Alzheimer’s. Astrocytes, on the other hand, become too active in aging brains and might make the leaks worse.
The good news is that some healthy habits might help protect these important cells. Studies in animals show that regular exercise, eating fewer calories, and certain medications like rapamycin may keep pericytes healthy and the blood-brain barrier working well.
This means that staying active and eating well might not just help your heart and muscles—they could also help your brain stay sharp as you age.
The blood-brain barrier doesn’t just matter for Alzheimer’s. Problems with this barrier have also been linked to diseases like multiple sclerosis and diabetes. That’s why scientists are working hard to learn more about it. If they can figure out how to keep the barrier strong, they might be able to prevent or treat many brain-related illnesses.
In the meantime, the best thing you can do is take care of your overall health. Exercise, eat a healthy diet, and get enough sleep. These simple actions may help your blood-brain barrier do its job and keep your brain healthy for years to come.
This research, led by Dr. William Banks and published in Nature Aging, offers a new way of thinking about how our brains age—and how we might help protect them.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about Vitamin B9 deficiency linked to higher dementia risk, and cranberries could help boost memory.
For more health information, please see recent studies about heartburn drugs that could increase risk of dementia, and results showing this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
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