Non-Dividing Neurons Do In Fact Become Senescent, Impairing Brain Function

In this study, researchers took skin samples from people with Alzheimer's disease and converted those cells directly into neurons in the lab. They tested these neurons to see if they undergo senescence and examined the mechanisms involved in the process. They also explored senescence markers and gene expression of post-mortem brains from 20 people with Alzheimer's disease and matched healthy controls. This allowed the team to confirm that their results from the lab held true in actual human brain tissue. The team found that senescent neurons are a source of the late-life brain inflammation observed in Alzheimer's disease. As the neurons deteriorate, they release inflammatory factors that trigger a cascade of brain inflammation and cause other brain cells to run haywire. Additionally, the gene KRAS, which is commonly involved in cancer, could activate the senescent response. The consequences of even a small number of senescent neurons in the aging brain could have a significant impact on brain function. This is because a single neuron can make more than 1,000 connections with other neurons, affecting the brain's communication system. In addition to these findings, the authors also administered a therapeutic (a cocktail of Dasatinib + Quercetin) to the patient neurons in a dish. Both drugs are used to remove senescent cells in the body in conditions such as osteoarthritis, so the authors wanted to see if they were effective in senescent cells in the central nervou...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs