The elimination of "zombie cells" in the brain could help fight the effects of dementia.

<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "No, this is not a straight plot out of The dead who walk"Zombie cells" are a real thing, referring to cells that enter a type of suspended animation as your body ages. Just as in any invasion of fictional zombies, the longer you wait, the more so called senescent cells are numerous. But here's the good news: stopping the accumulation of these cells could potentially help prevent or even reduce the effects of cognitive decline in the brain, including types of dementia. "Data-reactid =" 22 "> No, this is not a twisting plot straight out of The dead who walk"Zombie cells" are a real thing, referring to cells that enter a type of suspended animation as your body ages. Just as in any invasion of fictional zombies, the longer you wait, the more so called senescent cells are numerous. But here's the good news: stopping the accumulation of these cells could potentially help prevent or even reduce the effects of cognitive decline in the brain, including types of dementia.

"In previous studies, we and others have shown that senescent cells, which are irreversible cells of growth arrest that acquire a distinct pro-inflammatory phenotype, accumulate with the 39, age and pathological sites, "said Darren Baker, conducted the study, told Digital Trends. "In recent years, these products have been shown to actively contribute to aging and various age-related diseases. In this study, we tested whether the accumulation of senescent cells promoted neurodegeneration in mice.

In their study, researchers used a mouse model that mimicked aspects of Alzheimer's disease. This was done using genetic engineering to create a modified version of brain tau protein, which resulted in the loss of the ability of mice to recall new information. When the mice received an enzyme to eliminate the accumulation of senescent cells, these signs of dementia disappeared. This allowed them to regain the ability to form memories, eliminate signs of inflammation and more.

As exciting as this research is, it is important to note that this is just the beginning. The understanding of the science of the exact relationship between senescent cells and human diseases is still incomplete. Baker also pointed out that the transfer of work to human subjects is not on the agenda in the near future.

"My lab focuses on the molecular understanding of aging senescence and age-related diseases using the mouse as a model system," he said. "We have shown the benefits in animals without adverse effects, but we have no idea if the same cells can be targeted effectively or safely in humans."

An article describing the work was recently published in the journal Science.