The idea that chronic, low-level inflammation in the hypothalamus drives aging is not new. When the researchers gave aged mice supplemental D-serine for 3 weeks, the supplement appeared to reverse some of their cognitive decline, although other signs of aging were unaffected. The improvements correlated with a boost in the concentration of D-serine in their hippocampus, a brain region that is crucial for learning and memory. They also performed worse on cognitive tests and had a shorter lifespan.Ĭonversely, when the scientists restored Menin production in the VMH of aged mice, this not only reduced inflammation but also improved their learning and memory, skin thickness, and bone mass. For example, compared with control animals, these mice had more inflammation, reduced bone mass, and thinner skin. When they turned off Menin production in the VMH of middle-aged mice, this led to multiple signs of premature aging. To explore further, they created “conditional knockout” mice, allowing them to switch off the gene that makes Menin in the VMH, while keeping it switched on everywhere else in the body. The experiment: In the new study, the scientists established that the concentration of Menin in nerves within the VMH area of the brain also declined in lockstep with increasing age. “D-serine is a potentially promising therapeutic for cognitive decline,” Leng speculated. D-serine is an amino acid that can be taken as a dietary supplement and is also found naturally in soybeans, eggs, and fish. Intriguingly, they found that Menin promoted the production of a neurotransmitter called D-serine, which in turn helped to slow cognitive decline.
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