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Dead cells that have lost the ability to divide are known to accumulate in the body with age and emit chemical signals that affect the action of other nearby cells.
But new research has shown that when an accumulation of these cells occurs in the brain, it is not the neurons they affect but the surrounding glial cells – in the central nervous system – that prevent neurons from surviving.
According to the study published in the medical journal Nature, boffins use mice genetically engineered to be prone to neural degeneration to make way for the targeted destruction of senescent cells or zombies.
They discovered that stopping the accumulation of these cells in turn reduced the formation of tau proteins related to Alzheimer's disease.
The degeneration of neurons in brain regions known for cognitive processes was delayed and rodents exhibited reduced memory loss, suggesting that senescent cells could promote neurodegeneration.
Lawrence Rajendran of the Dementia Research Institute at King's College London said the groundbreaking study could pave the way for "new perspectives for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. ".
Lorna Harries, of Exeter University, said: "The idea that the accumulation of senescent cells could contribute to age-related diseases such as dementia, Diabetes and cardiovascular disease is now gaining ground in the scientific community.
Ms. Harries also noted that the study used modified mice and warned that the observations "may not be so easy to reproduce in people," but added "we are getting closer".
The study raises the possibility that preventing the accumulation of senescent cells may form the basis of a cure for Alzheimer's disease in humans.
While both terms Alzheimer's and dementia are often used interchangeably, diseases cause some differences.
Dementia affects the patient's ability to perform daily tasks, such as driving, managing finances, cooking, shopping and even eating serious cases.
In Alzheimer's disease, neurons are first lost in the hippocampus of the brain center for memory and learning.
A number of aging-related biological processes, including inflammation, oxidation and accumulation of toxic proteins, are related to the process.
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