Mice rejuvenated brain

Scientists have been able to reverse brain aging

Alexey Ivanov, Rossiyskaya Gazeta

Scientists from Stanford University were able to reverse the mental degradation of elderly mice by restoring their cognitive abilities at the level of young animals. This was achieved thanks to the effect on one of the groups of immune cells, reducing their inflammatory activity, according to the university's website.

Article by Minhas et al. Restoring metabolism of myeloid cells reverses cognitive decline in aging is published in the journal Nature.

We are talking about myeloid cells, which are located in the brain, circulatory system and peripheral tissues of the body. Their main functions are the fight against infectious invasions, as well as the "cleaning" of the body – they eat dead cells, get rid of the accumulation of aggregated proteins, and so on. But as we age, myeloid cells lose their ability to protect the health of the body, their aim is lost, and instead of pathogens, they attack normal tissues, thereby increasing the level of inflammation. This process develops similarly in humans and animals.

Biologists have long suggested that reducing inflammation can slow down the aging process and delay the onset of age-related conditions such as heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and weakness, and perhaps even prevent the gradual loss of mental acuity that happens to almost everyone. And if the results of the Stanford study on old mice and human cell cultures are applicable to real people, then they may portend a pharmacologically controlled recovery of the mental abilities of older people.

– If you regulate the immune system, you can rejuvenate the brain, – said the lead author of the scientific work Catherine Andresson, MD, professor of neurology and neurology.

The essence of the study is as follows. Myeloid cells are the main source in the body of PGE2, a hormone belonging to the prostaglandin family. It has many useful functions, but it also sometimes contributes to the inflammatory process. It all depends on which cells and which of their receptors it interacts with. One of the suitable receptors for PGE2 is EP2. It is found on immune cells and is especially common on the same myeloid cells. Inflammatory activity occurs precisely as a result of the binding of PGE2 and EP2.

Scientists have noticed that older mouse and human macrophages not only produce much more PGE2 than younger ones, but also have a much larger amount of EP2 on their surface. To block the connection of the hormone and the receptor, the Andreesson team gave mice special drugs, as a result of which the inflammatory process decreased. The most surprising thing is that the old mice then showed the same results of tests for memorization and spatial navigation as the young individuals.

It is also noted that one of the compounds used is not approved for human use, and may have toxic side effects, although they have not been observed in mice.

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