Scientists from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found a key process that may explain why our memory and thinking abilities decline as we get older.
Their research focuses on a brain protein called CaMKII. This protein plays a big role in memory and learning.
In a recent study published in the journal Science Signaling, the team showed that changing how this protein works in mice caused problems with memory that looked like normal aging.
Professor Ulli Bayer, one of the main authors of the study, explained that both in mice and humans, a process called S-nitrosylation becomes weaker as we age. This process adds a small chemical group to brain proteins like CaMKII, helping them work properly.
As we get older, our bodies produce less nitric oxide—a substance needed for S-nitrosylation. Without enough nitric oxide, the S-nitrosylation process slows down. This can lead to problems with brain flexibility (called synaptic plasticity), memory, and learning.
The researchers discovered that just reducing S-nitrosylation of the CaMKII protein in mice was enough to cause memory problems similar to those seen in older adults.
This discovery is important because it might lead to new treatments for age-related memory decline. If scientists can find a way to restore or support the S-nitrosylation process in the brain, they may be able to slow down or even prevent some of the memory loss that comes with normal aging.
However, Professor Bayer pointed out that this treatment would only help with memory problems linked to normal aging. It would not work for diseases like Alzheimer’s or dementia, which involve different types of brain damage.
He said, “We know this protein can be targeted. And we think it could be done with medication. That is the next logical step.”
This research offers hope that future drugs could help keep our minds sharp as we age, simply by helping key brain proteins work the way they should.
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.
For more 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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