Scientists restore a brain protein and reverse signs of aging in mice
Scientists found that declining levels of the brain protein Menin may help drive aging, with lower levels in mice linked to inflammation, cognitive decline, weaker bones, and thinner skin. Restoring Menin reversed several age-related changes, while the amino acid D-serine improved cognition, hinting at a potentially intriguing new target for healthy aging.
Memory problems, thinning skin, and declining bone mass may seem like separate consequences of growing older. Yet experiments in mice suggest that changes in a protein deep inside the brain can influence all three. Restoring that protein, called Menin, improved several signs of aging, while a separate treatment with the amino acid D-serine improved cognition.
The findings came from a study published on March 16, 2023, in the open access journal PLOS Biology , led by Lige Leng of Xiamen University in Xiamen, China, and colleagues. The work identified a possible connection between brain inflammation, metabolism, and aging throughout the body. Research published since then has added to that picture, while also showing why the supplement findings require careful interpretation.
How a Brain Protein Could Influence Aging
The researchers focused on the hypothalamus, a small brain region that helps coordinate metabolism and other essential functions. It also appears to influence how the body ages. As inflammatory signaling increases in this region, it can contribute to changes both within the brain and in tissues elsewhere in the body.
Before the 2023 study, Leng and colleagues had found that Menin helps restrain inflammation in the hypothalamus. That raised an important question: Could losing some of this protection help set age-related decline in motion?