Targeted changes in lifestyle could delay memory loss
Researchers from Kings College London in the United Kingdom suggest that certain lifestyle aspects, such as for example exercise and diet, influence brain aging via specific molecular pathways.
Everyone ages, but no two persons will age just as. Some people will stay cognitively alert because they age, while others will display dramatic memory loss.
Experts have no idea the key reason why this occurs, but new research suggests it relates to a genetic variation in so-called nutrient-sensing pathways. They are molecular interactions that rely upon the levels of nutrients people consume.
The analysis, published in Communications Biology, indicates that changes in lifestyle based on an individual’s genetic make-up may help to delay memory loss.
The back-translation approach
The study centered on neural stem cells (NSCs). They are a group of cells found in the hippocampus, that is a center for memory in the mind. These cells divide continually to create more cells, and maintaining them is vital for memory.
Nutrient sensing pathways react to lifestyle factors, such as for example exercise and diet, and help promote changes in cell behavior. These pathways, therefore, give a molecular connection between lifestyle and memory and may explain why aging impacts people’s memory differently.
To study this in greater detail, the researchers analyzed a combo of laboratory data and human data on memory, diet, and activity level.
They applied a thrilling approach, which uses laboratory findings to see the analysis of human data. Known as back-translation, it permits a far more targeted approach.
“We believe this to become a useful and unbiased approach to investigate healthy aging while minimizing the translational gap, which often impacts in vitro studies,” the researchers explain.
Gene-environment interactions
The researchers exposed the NSCs to chemicals and repeated subculturing to mimic growing older and then viewed the genes they expressed.
They used the findings to investigate data from over 2,000 people, including genetic information and data on the memory, eating patterns, including diet type, and overall calorie consumption, and exercise levels.
The researchers discovered that the genes ABTB1 and GRB10 were involved in both nutrient sensing and memory. These genes may actually mediate the bond between diet, aging, and memory.
“Identifying these genes as the missing links between these three important variables could inform new methods to help enhance the aging process through targeted changes in exercise and diet and ultimately in developing new drugs,” says lead author, Chiara de Lucia, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London.
Personalized changes in lifestyle could enhance memory
Researchers associated the variations in the gene ABTB1 with cognitive performance on a memory task. They found that the GRB10 gene was an essential link between diet and memory.
The research shows that these discoveries could bring about practical recommendations to keep people cognitively well as they age.
For example, people with a particular variant of GRB10 could reap the benefits of consuming a Mediterranean diet, while those with variations in gene SIRT1 could benefit more from physical activity.
“Finding the methods to prevent or decelerate the processes that drive the decline of our thought processes during aging is probably the great endeavors of the 21st century. To your knowledge, this is one of the first studies looking at these relationships with human data and adopting this back-translation approach,” explains senior author, Dr. Sandrine Thuret.
“Our findings suggest that lifestyle changes might be able to delay a decline in memory and thinking but that the effectiveness of these approaches will depend on the genetic makeup of every person,” she added.
Although this is an exciting study, it has some limitations. For instance, the researchers used data that came from cells. They cultured the cells in a way that mimics human aging but does not accurately recapitulate it.
The researchers say future work should try to repeat these findings using larger datasets. This can help scientists to understand better how diet, exercise, and memory influence one another.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com
