Harvard researchers identify protein linked to cognitive resilience

Researchers from Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Broad Institute have identified a protein, PLA2G2F, that may protect memory and slow cognitive decline.

Studied in mice, the molecule is associated with memory preservation, brain fat regulation, and reduced inflammation. The research focused on the hippocampus, the brain region essential for learning and memory. Scientists observed that higher levels of PLA2G2F were present in the hippocampi of older mice and in conditions of brain inflammation. In human samples, an association was found between the protein's activity and cognitive resilience, even in elderly individuals showing brain signs compatible with Alzheimer’s disease.

Experimental results showed that reducing the gene's activity in older mice led to worse memory test results, increased synapse loss, higher inflammation, and lipid droplet accumulation. While the findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, offer potential pathways for therapies to delay or prevent age-related cognitive decline, further studies are required to determine if increasing the molecule's levels in humans can be done safely.