The brain plays a major role in old ageand scientists think they have pinpointed the cells that control it.
In a study of mice, Allen Institute researchers found certain cells that show “significant changes” with age, particularly one specific “hotspot,” according to a press release.
Mice were chosen because their brains share “many similarities” to the human brain.
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“Our brain has thousands of different types of cells, which perform different functions,” Hongkui Zeng, co-author and director of the Allen Center for Brain Sciences in Seattle, told Fox News Digital. “Our research shows that different types of cells may be more susceptible to aging.”
The research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is published in the journal Nature.
Allen Institute scientists believe they have identified specific brain cells that control aging. (iStock)
The researchers used RNA sequencing and brain mapping tools to analyze more than 1.2 million brain cells from young mice (2 months) and old mice (18 months).
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18-month-old mice are about the size of a “middle-aged person,” the researchers pointed out.
The researchers classified the cells into 847 different types and also identified approximately 2,500 genes that changed with aging, according to Zeng.
The mice (not pictured) were chosen because their brains share “many similarities” with the human brain, the researchers said. (iStock)
Cells that were associated with aging showed increased inflammation and decreased “neuronal activity.”
“Changes in these genes indicate disruption of neuronal structure and function in many types of neuronal and glial cells, as well as increased immune and inflammatory responses in brain cell types. and blood vessels,” Zeng explained.
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The cells that underwent the greatest changes were in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain associated with food intake, energy balance and metabolism, the researchers noted.
This suggests that this area is a “hotspot for aging,” Zeng noted, and that there may be a link between diet, lifestylesbrain aging and the risk of age-related mental disorders.
“Aging is the most important risk factor for many brain diseases.”
“Findings from this study confirm the fact that maintaining a good healthpromoting a healthy metabolism, and reducing inflammation in the body and brain can reduce or delay the aging process and reduce the risks of age-related brain diseases,” he said.
The hope is that this discovery can lead to new age-related treatments to improve the function of these cells and help prevent neurodegenerative diseases, according to the researchers.
The study's researchers discuss the findings at the Allen Institute. (Allen Institute)
“Aging is the most important risk factor for many brain diseases,” Zeng noted.
“Our study provides a more detailed genetic map of which brain cell types may be most affected by aging and suggests new genes and cells for to develop new treatments for aging-related diseases.”
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The study had some limitations, the authors acknowledged.
“The main limitation of our study is that the findings are correlational,” Zeng said.
Inflammation plays a key role in chronic diseases associated with aging such as Alzheimer's, a neurologist has noted. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
“We do not yet know whether the genetic changes observed in certain cell types are responsible for brain aging. Our study lays the groundwork by providing detailed genetic mapping and cellular targets.”
Zeng called out future studies to investigate the cellular components of aging and to determine whether the changes can slow down the aging process.
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Dr. Earnest Lee Murray, a Board certified neurologist Jackson-Madison County General Hospital, Jackson, Tennessee, said new research adds to existing evidence supporting the role of diet in human brain health.
A detailed description of the “brain pathway” will be very useful for future research on aging and possible treatments, according to Murray, who was not involved in the study.
The detailed “brain pathway” found in the study will be very useful for future research on aging and possible treatments, experts agree. (iStock)
Inflammation has long been known to play a role in chronic diseases associated with aging such as Alzheimer's diseasethe neurologist noted.
“A growing body of evidence shows that many chronic diseases can be prevented, and often reduced diet and exercise,” he told Fox News Digital.
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“Changing your diet to include processed foods and starting other methods like intermittent fasting have been shown to reduce the cellular inflammation that seems to lead to many diseases.”