‘Master switch’ brain protein could reverse age-related memory loss
September 02, 2025
Lowering levels of a protein linked to iron in the brain could be a new way to reverse age-related memory loss
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Restoring memory and mental sharpness in older adults isn’t just about fighting disease; it’s about decoding the subtle shifts inside the aging brain.
Surprisingly, cognitive decline in healthy aging isn’t as simple as neurons dying, but rather neurons losing their spark at the synapse, the tiny junctions where signals leap from cell to cell. While many molecular changes accompany age, only a few have been identified as true culprits of cognitive decline, with one long-standing suspect being iron.
One study has traced a buildup of iron in aging brains, linking it to sluggish cognition. Another study offered the clearest indication of the relationship between Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline and neural iron deposits.
In a recent study published in Nature Aging, researchers at UC San Francisco sought to identify the molecular troublemakers that cause our brains to age prematurely. Their goal? Find the sneaky agents behind age-related memory decline, and figure out how to stop them.
They zoomed in on the hippocampus, a brain region responsible for regulating learning and memory, and highly vulnerable to the effects of aging. Using a process called neuronal nuclei RNA sequencing they identified ferritin light chain 1 (FTL1), an iron-associated protein, as a pro-aging neuronal factor that impairs cognition.
Using transcriptomics and mass spectrometry, researchers found that older mice had more FTL1 in their hippocampus, the brain’s memory HQ. This iron-handling protein wasn’t just loitering; it was actively disrupting neural connections and dimming cognitive performance.
To test its power, researchers cranked up FTL1 in young mice. The result? Their brains started behaving like those of elderly mice: fewer synaptic links, weaker memory, and simplified neural wiring. In Petri dishes, nerve cells flooded with FTL1 grew stubby, single-armed neurites instead of the usual branching networks.
Then came the twist: when researchers dialed down FTL1 in older mice, their brains bounced back. Neurons reconnected, memory improved, and the hippocampus lit up with youthful energy. It was as if the brain had remembered how to be young again.
“It is truly a reversal of impairments,” said senior author Saul Villeda. “It’s much more than merely delaying or preventing symptoms.”
Turns out, FTL1 doesn’t just mess with memory; it also slows down metabolism in hippocampal cells. But researchers found a clever workaround: when they treated these cells with a compound that revs up metabolism, the damage was blocked.
Villeda is hopeful that targeting FTL1 could spark a new wave of brain-rejuvenating therapies. “We’re seeing more opportunities to alleviate the worst consequences of old age,” he said. “It’s a hopeful time to be working on the biology of aging.”
The study was published in Nature Aging.
Source: UC San Francisco
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