New mechanism of brain aging discovered

Brain: Anti-inflammatory lipids decrease with age

An American research institute has a new class anti-inflammatory molecules In Brain discovered, which decreases with increasing age. searched for lipids May find new ways to treat neurological disease open, the risk of which is associated with aging.

researchers of Salk Institute And this UC San Diego Labeled lipids were found SGDG Has an anti-inflammatory effect on the brain. There inflammatory processes As the basis of many neurodegenerative diseases, newly discovered molecules may play an important role in the development of neurological diseases. The results were recently published in the renowned journal “Nature Chemical Biology” Presents.

aging is a complex process

It is extremely complex to find out the exact processes that lead to a Ageing of the body inflammation, stress And metabolic changes There are a few factors that determine how fast we age.

New factor in brain aging discovered

Now the US Working Group was able to highlight another factor that is particularly concerning brain aging is connected. It is a class of lipids known as . is referred to as 3-sulfogalactosyl diacylglycerols Or referred to as SGDGs for short.

SGDGs protect the brain from inflammation

Apparently, lipids protect the brain from inflammation. Since the SGDG ratio decreases with age, this may increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases typical of aging such as: Madness Raise.

Lipids “play key role in aging”

According to researchers, the findings will help basics of brain aging They show new approaches to understand and counteract the neurodegenerative diseases of aging.

“Clearly, these SGDGs play an important role in aging, and this finding raises the possibility that there are other important aging pathways that we have previously overlooked.”The study emphasizes the author Professor Alan Sagatelian,

It was already known that lipids, i.e. fats, contribute to healthy brain structure, development and function. Also, poorly regulated lipids are associated with aging and diseased brains.

Three new insights into brain aging

The precise functions of lipids in the brain are not well understood. So far, they are hardly associated with aging. Scientists were now able to use rat brains three important discoveries Make:

1. Brain lipid levels in old rats differed significantly from those in young rats.
2. The appearance of all SGDG class molecules varies with age.
3. SGDGs are regulated by processes previously associated with aging.

fell into oblivion

“SGDG was first identified in the 1970s, but there have been few follow-up studies”Comments study first author Dan Tanu, According to him, they have largely fallen into oblivion since then. Only the latest technology has made possible further research into lipids. (VB)