Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco have found that just a few doses of the experimental drug ISRIB can reverse age-related decline in memory and other cognitive functions in mice, halting brain aging. This is reported in an article published in eLife.
ISRIB restores the functions of cells that have undergone an integrated stress response (ISR) triggered by certain external conditions. With ISR, protein production in the cell stops, but sometimes this mechanism gets stuck in the on position, preventing the cell, including neurons, from performing their normal functions. The chronic integrated stress response has been shown to be associated with the cognitive impairment seen in patients after traumatic brain injury.
Scientists have shown that ISR also underlies cognitive decline with age, as various stressors, including inflammatory molecules, accumulate in the body as we age. ISRIB allows you to restart cellular activity, including improving the passage of impulses through neurons, their susceptibility to stimulation and the ability to form stable connections with each other.
In the experiment, mice were trained to find a way out of the maze, which is usually difficult for old animals. However, small daily doses of ISRIB over a three-day training period allowed the rodents to perform at the level of young mice. The effect persisted for at least three weeks.