THE DECLINE OF MENIN IN THE HYPOTHALAMUS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO PHYSIOLOGICAL AGING, AFFECTING COGNITION, BONE MASS, SKIN THICKNESS. A RECENT STUDY SUGGESTS THAT A DIETARY SUPPLEMENT OF AN AMINO ACID MAY HELP MITIGATE SOME OF THESE AGE-RELATED CHANGES.
A new study suggests that the decline in the hypothalamic hormone menin may play a key role in aging, and a D-serine supplementation might mitigate some age-related changes.
Menin is a crucial inhibitor of hypothalamic neuroinflammation, which promotes multiple age-related processes, a recent study published in PLOS Biology suggests.
- Loss of menin led to a decline in levels of the amino acid D-serine, a neurotransmitter.
- D-serine is found in soybeans, eggs, fish, and nuts.
- The gene for menin was delivered into the hypothalamus of elderly mice, which resulted in improved skin thickness and bone mass and better learning, cognition, and balance.
- The increased D-serine within the hippocampus correlated with the observed improvements.
- Three weeks of dietary supplementation with D-serine induced similar benefits on cognition but not on the peripheral signs of aging.
- Menin may be the critical protein connecting the genetic, inflammatory, and metabolic factors of aging, and D-serine is a potentially promising therapeutic for cognitive decline.
