
via Newsmax.com
Study also identified possible target for novel therapies
Age-related memory loss may be reversed by boosting blood levels of osteocalcin, a hormone produced by bone cells, according to mouse studies led by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers. The research team also identified a receptor for osteocalcin in the brain, paving the way for a novel approach to treating age-related cognitive decline.
The paper was published today in the online edition of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
“In previous studies, we found that osteocalcin plays multiple roles in the body, including a role in memory,” said study leader Gerard Karsenty, MD, PhD, the Paul A. Marks Professor and Chair, Department of Genetics & Development, and professor of medicine at Columbia. “We also observed that the hormone declines precipitously in humans during early adulthood. That raised an important question: Could memory loss be reversed by restoring this hormone back to youthful levels? The answer, at least in mice, is yes, suggesting that we’ve opened a new avenue of research into the regulation of behavior by peripheral hormones.”
Dr. Karsenty’s group, in collaboration with the laboratory of Eric Kandel, MD, University Professor and Kavli Professor of Brain Science at Columbia University and a key contributor to this study, conducted several experiments to evaluate osteocalcin’s role in age-related memory loss. In one experiment, aged mice were given continuous infusions of osteocalcin over a two-month period. The infusions greatly improved the animals’ performance on two different memory tests, reaching levels seen only in young mice.
The same improvements were seen when blood plasma from young mice, which is rich in osteocalcin, was injected into aged mice. In contrast, there was no memory improvement when plasma from young, osteocalcin-deficient mice was given to aged mice. But adding osteocalcin to this plasma before injecting it into the aged mice resulted in memory improvement. The researchers also used anti-osteocalcin antibodies to deplete the hormone from the plasma of young mice, reducing their performance on memory tests.
The researchers then determined that osteocalcin binds to a receptor called Gpr158 that is abundant in neurons of the CA3 region of the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center. This was confirmed by inactivating hippocampal Gpr158 in mice and subsequently giving them infusions of osteocalcin, which failed to improve their performance on memory tests.
The researchers did not observe any toxic effects from giving the mice osteocalcin. “It’s a natural part of our body, so it should be safe,” said Dr. Karsenty. “But of course, we need to do more research to translate our findings into clinical use for humans.”
In previous research, Dr. Karsenty found that osteocalcin injections also rejuvenate the muscles of older mice, allowing them to match the running speeds and distances of young mice.
Learn more: Bone-Derived Hormone Reverses Age-Related Memory Loss in Mice
The Latest on: Age-related memory loss
- A Third of COVID Survivors Have Long-Haul Symptomson February 19, 2021 at 4:22 pm
Many patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 could become "long haulers," suffering symptoms months after they clear their non-life-threatening infection, new research shows. About 33% of COVID-19 ...
- A Third of COVID Survivors Have Long-Haul Symptoms, Even After Mild Caseson February 19, 2021 at 11:58 am
Many patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 could become "long haulers," suffering symptoms months after they clear their non-life-threatening infection, new research shows. About 33% of COVID-19 ...
- 11 brain foods that benefit memory, concentration, and moodon February 19, 2021 at 11:21 am
The foods we eat can significantly affect our mood, emotions, and cognitive abilities. "Brain food" is a term used to describe the most helpful items to eat and drink for optimal brain health. These ...
- Alzheimer’s: Can Tech Come To The Rescue?on February 18, 2021 at 12:50 am
Some researchers postulated that stimulating olfactory nerves should help stimulate a patient’s memory. (Stimulating the sense of smell is also known to help people regain consciousness after brain ...
- Study: Cognitive SuperAgers resist protein tangles that lead to Alzheimer’s diseaseon February 17, 2021 at 8:42 pm
A new Northwestern Medicine study showed cognitive SuperAgers have resistance to the development of fibrous tangles in a brain region related to memory and which are known to be markers of Alzheimer's ...
- SuperAger brains resist protein tangles that lead to Alzheimer'son February 17, 2021 at 2:01 pm
A new Northwestern Medicine study showed cognitive SuperAgers have resistance to the development of fibrous tangles in a brain region related to memory and which are known to be markers of Alzheimer's ...
- How to live longer: Blueberries may reduce age-related diseases to boost longevityon February 17, 2021 at 12:05 am
There are certain foods which have been dubbed "superfoods" due to their impressive benefits - helping reduce age-related diseases and improving cognition.
- Relapse of pathological angiogenesis: functional role of the basement membrane and potential treatment strategieson February 15, 2021 at 3:19 am
Studying the sites of previous blood vessel occupation may explain how pathological vessel growth recurs after inhibitory treatment. Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, drives progression ...
- Revision Eye supplement Reviews - Does Revision 2.0 Eye Capsules Really Work - Review By DietCare Reviewson February 14, 2021 at 5:10 pm
This is the 2021 updated Revision 2.0 eye supplement reviews report and where to buy Revision eye pills; published by DietCare Reviews. MUST SEE: Critical New Revision Eye Supplement Report - ...
- How Playing Sudoku Can Improve Memory and Cognitionon February 13, 2021 at 7:02 pm
If you are an adult who loves solving puzzles, you surely must love Sudoku too. Though Sudoku is a game of numbers, it has got nothing to do with your arithmetic skills. It is all about logic. Logical ...
via Google News and Bing News