The next time you forget where you have left your keys, you can blame an immune protein called β2 microglobulin (B2M) that builds up in your blood as you age. B2M impairs the formation of new brain cells and contributed to age-related loss–study found in mice. If we block this protein, we might be able to prevent the memory decline or cognitive disorders, according to the researchers.
Not only this group of scientists has found the role of B2M, multiple groups of scientists have shown that after adding the blood of older mice to younger mice’s bodies, the younger ones became sluggish and weaker and even more forgetful. While when injecting the younger one’s blood to the older ones’ they restored their memory and energy. B2M as an immune protein normally involved in distinguishing one’s own cells from invading pathogens, has been found at increased levels in Alzheimer patients and patients with other cognitive disorders.
In the latest studies, scientists first measured B2M levels in the blood of both people and mice of different ages. As a result, they found that the level increased with ages. Then, they injected B2M into 3-month-old mice, those young ones suddenly had trouble remembering how to complete a water maze and they made more than twice as many errors as normal ones. After about one month later, however, those young mice’s memory came back after the protein had been cleared from their bodies.
So, will the reducing of B2M levels treat or prevent memory loss? They scientists did further studies. They genetically engineered mice to lack the gene for B2M. Compared to the controlled mice, those older mice without B2M were better at learning and remembering, even as good as young mice at completing water maze.
“Those findings are really exciting, the importance of this work cannot be underestimated for the world’s population is aging so rapidly.” Commented Dena Dubal.