Researchers have taken a new step in understanding and tackling age-related brain issues. The drainage of cerebrospinal fluid, which is important for removing waste products from the brain, becomes less effective as we get older. This can contribute to diseases such as dementia. A special protein, aquaporin 4, helps to move this fluid through the brain.
Recent research in mice shows that making this protein more active improves the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid. A newly discovered drug cleaned the brains better, which led to less damage from harmful proteins that normally increase with age. This underlines how important good drainage of cerebrospinal fluid is for preserving brain cells and preventing neurodegeneration.
Additionally, there is also new insight into how mitochondria, the power stations of our cells, are able to do their work less well as we get older. This is not only due to damage, but possibly because they adapt less well to changing energy needs. This leads to lower energy production and more harmful substances. Such disruptions can affect the health of tissues and organs.
These discoveries provide new leads to better treat and perhaps even prevent age-related problems in the brain and body. For anyone who wants to age more healthily, it is good to know that science is learning more and more about how our body counteracts ageing and is searching for ways to slow down that process.
Source: Reason
