Scientists have identified an enzyme that breaks down fatty compounds as a possible shield for ageing memory and brain cells, drawing on mice, human brain samples and laboratory cells, Nature reports.
The study, published in Nature Neuroscience on Oct 15, identified the phospholipase enzyme, encoded by the PLA2G2F gene, as a potential contributor to cognitive resilience -- the ability to maintain memory and thinking skills despite age-related brain changes.
Researchers found that older mice lacking the gene developed greater brain inflammation and more severe neuron deterioration than unaltered mice.
Animals with increased gene activity, meanwhile, showed less inflammation and better-connected neurons, according to the report.
Memory tests supported the findings, with middle-aged mice lacking the gene performing worse than control animals, while older mice with boosted gene activity achieved higher scores.
“This is a fantastic, very thoughtful approach to get at what could be protecting neurons,” said Timothy Hohman, a neuroscientist and geneticist at Vanderbilt University’s Memory & Alzheimer’s Center, who was not involved in the study, according to Nature.
Study co-author Amar Sahay, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said the enzyme acts “as a compensatory cognitive-resilience mechanism”, cited per the report.
The team also analysed human brain data, finding that PLA2G2F activity increased with age and was highest in donors who retained their cognitive abilities despite having amyloid-beta deposits associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The findings suggest the enzyme may help counter some harmful changes linked to ageing.
The research, however, does not establish that increasing its activity would prevent memory loss or dementia in humans.
The researchers say the results offer a potential direction for understanding why some people maintain their cognitive abilities despite signs of brain disease.