Ageing is inevitable, but the gradual decline in brain function has long been considered unavoidable. As neural stem cells slow their production of new neurons, learning and memory suffer.
However, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have identified a molecular mechanism that could challenge this long-held belief.
Published in Science Advances, the findings suggest neural stem cell decline may not be irreversible.
The researchers focused on cyclin D-binding myb-like transcription factor 1 (DMTF1), a protein that controls how other genes express themselves and regulates vital cellular processes.
When they examined aged neural stem cells in human stem cell systems and mouse models, they found that the cells had silenced DMTF1, preventing proper regeneration.
Senior author Derrick Sek Tong Ong said earlier studies suggested scientists could partially restore neural stem cell function, but they had not identified the exact mechanism.
The team restored DMTF1 expression in aged cells and observed a dramatic recovery.
The stem cells resumed proliferation, confirming that DMTF1 plays a crucial role in maintaining activity during ageing.
Researchers found that DMTF1 counteracts telomere shortening — a key driver of cellular ageing — by activating growth pathways through chromatin remodelling, even in already impaired cells.
Although they conducted the experiments outside the human body and clinical use remains distant, the study offers a valuable framework for understanding brain ageing and raises hope that age-related cognitive decline may not be irreversible.
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