Cognitive Decline With Age, Study Says It’s Likely Due To The Loss Of Myelin

Brain News: According to the findings of a new study, cognitive function degrade with age the reason behind this is the loss of myelin.

A recent study conducted by the University of Portsmouth has observed one of the major reasons that lead to cognitive decline with age. According to the researchers of the study, it is due to the loss of myelin, a protective and insulating plastic casing around the electrical wires of the brain called axons. Myelin is crucial for the rapid communication between nerve cells that lie behind the supercomputer power of the human brain.

The loss of myelin not only leads to brain deterioration but also results in several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. As per the observations of the new study, the cells that facilitate myelin repair become less efficient with growing age. It is distinguished as a key gene that is most affected by aging, thus reducing the cell’s ability to replace lost myelin.

While the research throws light on why the cells that drive myelin repair become less effective with age, the researchers try to understand the aging brain stem cells. This way, they intend to come up with better treatment options for various neurodegenerative diseases.

To Know More, You May Refer To:

Andrea D. Rivera, Francesca Pieropan, Irene Chacon‐De‐La‐Rocha, Davide Lecca, Maria P. Abbracchio, Kasum Azim, Arthur M. Butt. Functional genomic analyses highlight a shift in Gpr17 ‐regulated cellular processes in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and underlying myelin dysregulation in the aged mouse cerebrum. Aging Cell, 2021; DOI: 10.1111/acel.13335