Whether you turn 60, 70, or 80, everyone starts to feel “old” at very different times.
But our brains go through three distinct “aging peaks” throughout our lives, according to a new study.
Experts have identified that the levels of 13 proteins related to brain aging increase at ages 57, 70 and 78.
And this could mean that these particular ages are crucial for interventions to help keep the brain healthier for longer, they said.
The team analyzed the concentration of around 3,000 proteins in the blood plasma of almost 5,000 Britons between 45 and 82 years old.
The analysis revealed that 13 proteins strongly related to brain aging were found to form three age-related peaks at ages 57, 70, and 78 years.
One protein in particular, called Brevican (BCAN), is associated with the onset of dementia, stroke, and movement problems.
Another protein, called GDF15, has also been linked to age-related diseases.
Experts have identified that the levels of 13 proteins related to brain aging increase at ages 57, 70 and 78.
Experts have warned that by 2050, the number of people aged 65 and over is estimated to exceed 1.5 billion worldwide, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the aging process. stock image
The authors said that the spikes in these 13 proteins may reflect changes in human brain health at these specific ages.
And these could be important times to consider interventions in the brain aging process, they said, which could help delay the onset of diseases such as dementia.
The research was led by a team from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in China.
In an article in the journal Nature Aging they warned that by 2050, the number of people aged 65 and over is estimated to exceed 1.5 billion worldwide, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the aging process.
In the UK alone, almost a million people suffer from the condition, and the numbers are rising. He remains our biggest killer.
“We found that the end of the fifth decade is a potential time for the onset of brain aging,” they said.
‘Furthermore, our study suggests that the seventh and late seventh decades are also essential time points in brain aging.
“These findings contribute to filling knowledge gaps essential to elucidating the molecular mechanisms of brain aging, with substantial implications for the future development of…biomarkers of brain aging, as well as personalized therapeutic targets for subsequent age-related brain disorders.”
The discovery comes just months after separate research also pinpointed the decades of life during which the body ages the most, debunking the idea that aging occurs gradually.
The graph shows how the number of people diagnosed in the UK has soared from around 340,000 in 2011 to almost 550,000 in 2019 (graph). Alzheimer’s Research UK estimates that only 63.1 per cent of people in England with dementia have been diagnosed (below left). Forecasts suggest 2 million people in the UK will have dementia by 2050 (below right)
In September, a team of Stanford scientists determined that age-related changes, such as slowing metabolism, wrinkling of the skin, and an increased susceptibility to disease, show significant peaks between ages 44 and 60.
These changes can lead to weight gain or stronger effects from alcohol consumption.
Dr. Michael Snyder, professor of genetics at Stanford University and lead author of the study, said, “People assume that everyone ages gradually.” It turns out that most changes are not linear.’
To offset the impact of these dramatic “waves” of aging, the team suggests that people approaching ages 44 and 60 exercise more frequently and adopt a healthier diet.
The team analyzed data from repeated collections of blood and stool samples and oral, skin and nasal swabs from 108 healthy people ages 25 to 75 across California over an average period of 1.7 years.
During the analysis, the scientists noticed that 81 percent of the molecules observed, including proteins and RNA, changed by at least one wave.
The team ultimately concluded that substantial dysregulation occurs in two main periods: age 44 causes the largest change and age 60 also produces a significant increase.
Dr. Steve Hoffmann, a computational biologist at the Leibniz Institute on Aging in Germany, told the Wall Street Journal: “These studies probably align very well with experiences we have ourselves, or hear from others, who perceive a sudden decline in physiological fitness”.
“Identifying and studying these factors should be a priority for future research,” said Dr. Xiaotao Shen, a former Stanford Medicine postdoctoral fellow and now an assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
In people aged 40 years, significant changes were observed in the amount of molecules related to alcohol, caffeine, and lipid metabolism; as well as changes in markers related to cardiovascular diseases and aging of the skin and muscles.
A similar but less pronounced “wave” of aging was observed at age 60.
Some of these changes may be related to lifestyle or behavioral factors that cluster in these age groups, Dr. Snyder said.