This is why ‘Super Elders’ have exceptional memories

A study by Northwestern Medicine scientists sheds light on the mysteries of Alzheimer’s disease and opens the door to a possible breakthrough in its treatment. The research, published in Nature Communications, reveals that a new element, short strands of RNA, could play a crucial role in the development of the disease. The research shows for the first time that these toxic RNA elements contribute to brain cell death and DNA damage in aging brains affected by Alzheimer’s disease. But it also details that older people with an exceptional memory capacity, known as standard Related News No The secret of eternal youth is hidden in the super-elderly and in a town in Sardinia Alexia Columba Jerez The companies that work on longevity solutions put their Look at cases like Perdasdefogu, the place in the world with the highest number of centenarians SuperAgers or Super Elders, they have greater amounts of protective RNA in their brain cells. “No one has ever linked the activities of RNAs with Alzheimer’s,” says the study’s lead author, Marcus Peter, from Northwestern University in Chicago (USA). According to the study, the balance between toxic and protective RNAs shifts towards toxic ones in aging brain cells. Treatments The finding could have implications beyond Alzheimer’s disease, offering a new perspective on the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, it suggests a new treatment avenue focused on stabilizing or increasing the amount of short protective RNAs in the brain. Although drugs that could affect these processes already exist, Peter emphasizes the need for testing in animal models and improvements before clinical application. The next step in the research will be to determine the exact contribution of toxic RNAs to cell death and to search for compounds that selectively modulate these processes. The research addresses a significant knowledge gap and could radically change the way we deal with neurodegenerative diseases in the future.