The bad memory gene
Every person undergoes a decline in cognitive functions to a greater or lesser extent with age. But how to explain the fact that someone at 80 has a better memory than those who are only 30?
Recent studies of "superstars" have shown that there are no areas of atrophy and signs of Alzheimer's disease in their brains, and the areas responsible for memory are hypertrophied.
Employees of the Translational Genomics Research Institute and Northwestern University have suggested the presence of a specific gene that provides memory changes. According to the results of their study, treatment targeting the MAP2K3 gene will help to stop age-related memory deterioration and possibly avoid memory loss caused by Alzheimer's disease.
The presence of a gene that regulates resistance to age-related cognitive changes gives hope to one day come to healthy aging, as well as to find a new way to improve brain performance.
The researchers sequenced the genome of 56 "superstars" – elderly people over 80 years old, who in memory tests showed results comparable to those of 50-65-year-old volunteers or better. Genetic variations were compared with two control groups: 22 people of the same age who had average results of memory tests, and a large group of people from the general population. They found that the "superstars" had three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snips) that reduced the activity of the MAP2K3 gene, which were not present in the participants of both control groups.
Thus, the MAP2K3 gene is part of the system that regulates memory. It is involved in beta-amyloid-induced apoptosis. Based on this, the authors suggested that inhibition of MAP2K3 may be a new therapeutic strategy for improving memory and resistance to Alzheimer's disease.
Article by M. J. Huentelman et al. Associations of MAP2K3 Gene Variants With Superior Memory in SuperAgers is published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of TGen: TGen, Northwestern University study of 'SuperAgers' offers genetic clues to their cognitive performance.