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Scientists discover protein that turns young brains old [1]
['Ellsworth Toohey']
Date: 2025-08-22
When researchers increased levels of an iron-storing protein called FTL1 in young mice's brains, they began showing memory problems typically seen only in old age. When scientists reduced FTL1 in the hippocampus of older mice — the brain's memory center — their cognitive function improved significantly.
This discovery by University of California San Francisco scientists reveals a key mechanism behind age-related cognitive decline.
The study, published in Nature Aging, reveals that FTL1 naturally accumulates in brain cells as mice age, disrupting the way neurons produce energy and impairing memory.
The team also discovered a potential intervention: supplementing with NADH, a molecule critical for cellular energy production, prevented FTL1's harmful effects on brain cells.
Previously:
• Why starving makes you live longer
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