From the Science Daily News
Will scientists one day be able to slow the aging of the brain and prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s? Perhaps — at least once the genetic coding associated with neuronal degeneration has been unraveled…
Dr. Gilbert Bernier, of the Université de Montréal and Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, led a team that identified a mutation in mice that dramatically accelerates the process of aging in the brain and the eye. The new study reveals that neurons in the retina and cerebral cortex require a gene called Bmi1 to prevent activation of the p53 pathway and the accumulation of free radicals.
“Overall, we have now established that the Bmi1 gene is a direct regulator of cell aging in brain and retinal neurons of mammals through its action on the defense mechanisms against free radicals,” says Dr. Bernier.
Well, they may be able to identify the gene…lets see where that gets them down the road.
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