Mouse Study Offers New Clues to Cognitive Decline

In a recent study published in The Journal of Neuroscience and in The EMBO Journal, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that certain types of brain cells prefer one specific energy source over others. The findings have implications for understanding the cognitive decline seen in aging and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. Studying mice, researchers found that a specific energy source—called NAD—is important in cells responsible for maintaining the overall structure of the brain and for performing complex cognitive functions. NAD is a molecule that harvests energy from nutrients in food and converts it into a form cells can use. “We are interested in how cells make NAD and what implications that has for cellular function, especially in the context of aging and longevity,” said the study’s senior author. “We know, for example, NAD levels decrease with age in tissues such as muscle and fat. We wanted to find out if the same is true in the brain.” The researchers looked at two types of brain cells: adult neural stem cells, responsible for maintaining supplies of neurons and their supporting cells, and forebrain neurons, vital for performing complex cognitive tasks. To read more about this study, click here.