Brain Blast | The Battle Against Brain Aging
The latest news on the brain and beyond.
America is rapidly growing old. Between 2018 and 2060, the number of Americans who are over the age of 64 is expected to increase from 52 million to 95 million (Kilduff et al., 2019). As the population ages, experts predict that the amount of Americans struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive issues will rise dramatically.
In response to these predictions, today’s scientists are on a tireless quest to better understand brain aging and to develop ways to slow its progression. Read the newest research on cognitive health and brain aging here.
Bring beige back
Visceral fat, the predominantly white fat that’s stored around organs in the abdomen, can lead to inflammation in the brain that results in cognitive damage. A study from Augusta University indicates that beige fat can counteract this inflammation and reduce dementia risk. Intense exercise and exposure to the cold can stimulate the “beiging” of white fat.
Researchers hope that their deeper understanding of the link between beige fat and reduced brain inflammation will lead to the development of medications or procedures that protect against dementia.
A not-so-bitter pill
To control their blood sugar, many people with type 2 diabetes take drugs called gliptins or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors. In a recent study, brain scans indicated that individuals with diabetes who took gliptins had lower amounts of amyloid in their brains than diabetics who did not take these kinds of drugs. Amyloid is a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.
Study participants taking gliptins also showed less cognitive decline over time than participants in the control group. Going forward, researchers intend to examine the effects of gliptins on the cognitive performance and brain physiology of people without diabetes.
Riding the wave
Amyloid plaques in the brain have been the focus of Alzheimer’s research for decades. A team of MIT neuroscientists have set their sights on a new target - gamma waves, electrical pulses in the brain which are associated with memory and learning. The team realized that, in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease, gamma waves were less strong and less synchronized.
As part of their study, the research team asked participants to use a portable device for 3 months. The device emitted light and sound to boost gamma waves in the participants’ brains. At the end of the study, the researchers found that subjects who underwent this therapy had not experienced any additional brain atrophy during the treatment period. However, subjects in the control group did show signs of further atrophy during the study.
Talking it up
We all need somebody to lean on. In fact, new research suggests that having a friend or family member who is reliably available when you need to talk is associated with greater cognitive resilience. High cognitive resilience means your brain functions better than it should given your age and brain structure.
Lower cerebral brain volume is usually associated with reduced cognitive function. However, in this study, participants who reported having high listener availability had better cognitive performance than their low brain volumes would suggest.
Sharpen your mind
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Reference: Kilduff, L., Mather, M., and Scommegna, P. (2019). Fact Sheet: Aging in the United States. Population Reference Bureau, 15 July 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2021 from https://www.prb.org/resources/fact-sheet-aging-in-the-united-states/