NIH scientists search for the clocks behind aging brain disorders

(NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) To understand the link between aging and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, NIH scientists compared the genetic clocks that tick during the lives of normal and mutant flies. They found that altering the activity of a gene called Cdk5 appeared to make the clocks run faster than normal, and the flies older than their chronological age. This caused the flies to have problems walking or flying later in life, to show signs of neurodegeneration, and to die earlier.

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - March 14, 2018 Category: Biology Source Type: news