Aging Disrupts Brain Protein Organization, But Dietary Changes Show Promise in New Study
Berlin, Germany – A new study from the Leibniz Institute for Age Research – Fritz Lieber Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FLI) reveals that aging significantly alters the organization of proteins within the brain, but that dietary interventions, such as calorie restriction, may partially restore protein tagging too levels seen in younger animals. The findings, published in Nature Communications, offer potential insights into improving treatments for age-related neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers found that ubiquitylation – a chemical process that tags proteins for various functions – changes with age in mice. This disruption impacts protein balance, a critical factor for brain health.
“Aging alters the protein landscape in the brain,” explains researcher Ori. “Our results show that even in old age, diet can still have an important influence on molecular processes in the brain.”
The team investigated the effects of a calorie-restricted diet on older mice, finding that a four-week period of restriction, followed by a return to a normal diet, restored ubiquitylation levels in some proteins to those observed in younger animals.
While the underlying mechanisms require further investigation, the study suggests that dietary adjustments can influence protein tagging in the brain, even as it ages.However, researchers caution that the effects aren’t universal.
“Diet dose not affect all aging processes in the brain equally: some are slowed down, while others hardly change or even increase,” Ori noted.
The research underscores the complexity of brain aging and highlights the potential for dietary strategies to modulate age-related changes in protein balance. The study has not yet been conducted on humans, but the findings represent a step forward in understanding the shifting processes within the brain during aging and could inform future therapeutic approaches.
