The aging brain - molecular and metabolic changes

Abstract

Aging is a complex set of events that involves the whole body. However, disruption of the central nervous system (CNS) function is the aspect of aging that elderly people worry about most. Aging has different effects on different aspects of neurological function. Our knowledge of the basic molecular mechanism of brain aging has significantly improved over the past few decades. The rate of aging is not fixed, but is plastic and subject to modifications. The environmental factor proven to be very potent in modulating aging is reduced dietary intake. Dietary restriction (DR) is a vigorous nongenetic and nonpharmacological intervention that is known to delay ageing and increase an active and healthy lifespan in diverse species, from yeast to mammals. Additionally, DR can improve various brain functions, including learning and memory, synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis.