Scientists at Oregon State University have discovered new mechanism of action of a compound called rapamycin that may help protect against neurological damage associated with conditions like Alzheimer's disease. The research was outlined and recently published in Aging Cell.
According to researchers, rapamycin may help slow down a process called cellular senescence—the stage in which aging cells stop multiplying and begin producing damaging substances that can lead to inflammation in the body and impair function. This process is associated with aging and linked to a number of common conditions, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
Earlier research showed that rapamycin may help reduce cellular senescence by increasing the effects of a substance in the body called Nrf2, which aids in cell repair and helps remove toxins from the cells. Results of this new study suggest it also affects senescence-associated secretory phenotype, or SASP, directly—providing further protection against cell damage associated with aging.
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