2023-08-01 12:39:27
Title: Study Finds Brain Protein Dysregulation as Cause of Normal Age-Related Cognitive Decline
Date: 01.08.2023
By: Pamela Dörhöfer
Researchers at the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado have made a significant discovery regarding the cognitive decline associated with normal aging. In a study published in the journal Science Signaling, the team suggests that a dysregulation of the brain protein CaMKII (calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) is responsible for these age-related cognitive losses.
Dementia and age-related memory loss are often mistakenly equated, despite being fundamentally different. Dementia encompasses a range of diseases characterized by extensive cognitive losses and behavioral changes. On the other hand, normal age-related degradation processes result in mild forgetfulness, difficulty learning new things, and scattered thoughts.
While the mechanisms underlying diseases like Alzheimer’s, such as the clumping of proteins amyloid beta and tau, are becoming better understood, the mechanisms behind age-related cognitive decline have remained unclear.
The researchers focused on CaMKII, a protein that regulates energy metabolism in nerve cells and the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters. Professor Ulli Bayer, the lead author of the study and a pharmacology professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, described CaMKII as being “responsible for memory and learning.”
By modifying the CaMKII protein in mice, the scientists were able to induce cognitive effects similar to those seen in normal aging. These modifications resulted in impairments in synaptic plasticity and memory, highlighting the role of CaMKII in age-related cognitive decline. The researchers also discovered that aging affects a process called S-nitrosylation, which has various regulatory functions in cells.
According to the study, the reduced production of nitric oxide with age is responsible for the decrease in nitrosylation, leading to impaired memory and learning abilities. Nitric oxide, naturally produced by the body, has vasodilating and anti-inflammatory effects.
The findings of this study provide a potential pathway for developing therapies aimed at normalizing CaMKII nitrosylation to prevent or delay age-related cognitive decline. Professor Bayer believes that it could be a significant step in treating or staving off normal cognitive decline. However, he clarifies that this potential treatment would only be effective for age-related decline and not for dementia-related diseases.
Further research and clinical trials will be necessary to explore the therapeutic possibilities of this discovery. If successful, such treatments could have a substantial impact on improving the quality of life for older individuals experiencing cognitive decline.
Overall, this study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying normal age-related cognitive decline and offers hope for future interventions that could mitigate its impact.]
#forgetfulness #age