Oligodendrocyte dysfunction linked to faster cognitive decline — ScienceDaily

In the United Kingdom, researchers from the University of Edinburgh and the UK Dementia Research Institute identified a link between age-related impairments in oligodendrocyte function and faster deterioration in memory and thinking. ScienceDaily reports on the results of the study , published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Oligodendrocytes produce and maintain myelin, a protective sheath around nerve fibers that helps electrical signals travel efficiently in the brain. Analysis of brain tissue showed that participants with more pronounced cognitive decline had fewer large nerve fibers and abnormal accumulation of myelin around the fibers that remained.

Data from long-term observation Scientists used data from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936, whose participants were followed from childhood into old age. Of the 1,091 participants, 866 completed additional cognitive testing after the age of 70. Between the ages of 70 and 82, their memory, information-processing speed, and ability to understand spatial relationships were assessed.

Almost all participants experienced some decline in cognitive abilities over this period, but its rate differed substantially. Changes in nerve fibers and myelin were associated specifically with the rate of this decline, rather than with test results at a particular age. More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram .

The role of the NRF2 protein In people with more severe cognitive decline, researchers also recorded lower levels of the NRF2 protein in oligodendrocytes. This protein regulates hundreds of genes involved in protecting cells from damage and maintaining their normal function. Experiments in mice showed that reducing NRF2 levels specifically in oligodendrocytes caused excessive myelin formation and the loss of large nerve fibers—changes similar to those found in human brain tissue.

The animals also showed less improvement in cognitive performance with age. The study authors note that the NRF2 pathway is already targeted by drugs used, among other things, to treat multiple sclerosis. Further research must determine whether such approaches can help older people with declining cognitive abilities.