Like all the other organs of the human body, the brain … is worn over the years – the more we grow older, the slower our minds becomes and the more it forgets.

Science, however, has not yet been able to find out with absolute certainty whether this deterioration is solely due to the expansion of time or whether it is affected by our genes.

Now, however, a series of studies has been published in the journal Neuron that seeks to answer this very question by examining how the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and mental injuries due to age.

Research has found that there are many physical and biological changes that affect the limited efficiency and function of our brain. And since 152 million people are estimated to live with some kind of mental decline by 2050, there is an urgent need to find answers to all these questions.

What causes the aging of the brain?

As Konstantinos Iadekas, a neurologist from the Weill Cornell Medical College, USA, explains, through molecular studies we have now managed to identify the most important factors that accelerate brain aging.

So it seems that these factors are both natural and biological. The natural aging of the body reduces the volume of the brain and changes the shape of its structural aspects – in other words, our brains are literally shrinking.

Biological factors that contribute to the other side in the cognitive decline include damage to our DNA, which Jadekas calls as “basic level inflammation” observed in the brain and affect the latter’s ability to clean “waste”.

Another study analyzes how the brain’s immune system is weakened, resulting in brain health declining.

In one of the studies, neuroscientist David Rubinstein of the University of Cambridge points out that the cleaning of protein waste is also an important factor in the aging of the brain and the relevant cognitive decline.

As we grow older, our brain cells are less capable of cleansing harmful protein waste, which damage the cells and disturb the function of the brain.

TA (T) proteins are such a kind of harmful proteins associated with various neurodegenerative diseases – including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

“The accumulation of Tauric proteins causes Alzheimer’s, so there is a clear connection between protein elimination mechanisms and neurodegenerative diseases. However, we know fewer things about how these mechanisms affect the normal cognitive decline in aging, “Rubenstein tells DW.

The complex puzzle of aging

Scientists seem to be unable to agree even on basic questions, such as “what is aging”, “what is caused” and “when it starts”.

“These questions have been dealing with people for centuries – such questions have even been addressed by the Bible,” Iandekas tells DW.

According to Rubinstein part of the problem is the fact that science focuses too much on studying cognitive decline as a result of pathologies such as strokes, Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, rather than researching how a healthy brain develops. kind of problems.

“We need to understand exactly what is the cognitive decline that is taking place when there is no illness,” Rubinstein points out.

Can we delay the aging of the brain?

Scientists, however, have begun to make some progress in their research on how we can enhance our brain health while growing up.

It is well known that the better our lifestyles, the lower the risk of dementia or present some other cognitive decline. So, for example:

—The exercise and eat healthy
-Do not have a large exposure to infected environments and not smoke
— not to live isolated from society or completely on our own
-We face any visual or hearing problems.

Many scientists also argue that our genes play a decisive role.

“Diet, sports, toxins limitation, all of which are greatly influenced by how we age. But genes are the most decisive factor, “says Iadkas.

This is also one of the reasons why the scientist does not think we will be able to deal with aging or to extend our lives in artificial ways. “Aging is part of human nature and there is a limit to what we can do to delay it,” the expert adds.

Curated by: George Passas