Hypothalamus: Brain Region May Hold Key to Aging

While the search continues for the Fountain of Youth, researchers may have found the body's "fountain of aging": the brain region known as the hypothalamus. For the first time, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University report that the hypothalamus of mice controls aging throughout the body. ¨

Their discovery of a specific age-related signaling pathway opens up new strategies for combating diseases of old age and extending lifespan. "Scientists have long wondered whether aging occurs independently in the body's various tissues or if it could be actively regulated by an organ in the body," said senior author Dongsheng Cai, M.D., Ph.D., professor of molecular pharmacology at Einstein. "It's clear from our study that many aspects of aging are controlled by the hypothalamus. What's exciting is that it's possible -- at least in mice -- to alter signaling within the hypothalamus to slow down the aging process and increase longevity."

To find out how the hypothalamus might affect aging, Dr. Cai decided to study hypothalamic inflammation by focusing on a protein complex called NF-?B (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells). "Inflammation involves hundreds of molecules, and NF-?B sits right at the center of that regulatory map," he said.

In the current study, Dr. Cai and his team demonstrated that activating the NF-?B pathway in the hypothalamus of mice significantly accelerated the development of aging, as shown by various physiological, cognitive, and behavioral tests. "The mice showed a decrease in muscle strength and size, in skin thickness, and in their ability to learn -- all indicators of aging. Activating this pathway promoted systemic aging that shortened the lifespan," he said.