For decades, scientists believed memory loss was an inevitable part of getting older.
But researchers at Virginia Tech have found that some of these age-related changes might actually be reversible.
In two related studies led by associate professor Timothy Jarome, scientists used advanced CRISPR gene-editing tools to correct molecular disruptions in the brain.
Their experiments focused on two crucial regions, the hippocampus, which manages learning and recall, and the amygdala, which controls emotional memory.
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Restoring balance in brain signals
The team examined a molecular process known as K63 polyubiquitination, which helps brain cells communicate and form memories.
With age, this process becomes unbalanced, increasing in one region of the brain and decreasing in another.
Using CRISPR technology to fine-tune these pathways, the researchers improved memory performance in older rats, showing that the problem wasn’t permanent damage but disrupted signaling.
When the balance was restored, the animals’ memory functioned more like that of younger brains.
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Reactivating a silent memory gene
In a separate study, the scientists turned to a gene called IGF2, known to support memory formation.
Over time, this gene becomes chemically silenced through DNA methylation.
By removing the methylation tags, the team reactivated IGF2, and the older rats once again showed strong improvements in memory tests.
The research, published in Neuroscience and Brain Research Bulletin and funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Federation for Aging Research, offers new hope for combating age-related cognitive decline.
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Sources: Science Daily, Neuroscience, and Brain Research Bulletin.