Did you know that molecular ageing may accelerate rapidly at 44 and 60?
A paper published in the journal Nature Ageing last year suggests that people’s bodies aged in bursts, rather than as a steady line. Gender did not seem to matter.
Yet another paper published in Nature ― this time about our brains ― suggests that our minds might go through three bursts of accelerated ageing, too.
How did the study work?
The scientists looked at nearly 11,000 MRI scans from people aged 42-82 in the UK Biobank.
They then predicted the “biological age” of peoples’ brains using advanced software.
This “biological age” is how old a person’s brain might behave and act ― it’s different to its “real,” or “chronological,” age.
Looking at the individuals’ blood, the scientists then found what appeared to be a connection between “older” brains and the number of 13 different proteins in their systems.
Lower numbers of a protein called brevican seemed to be most linked to increased brain age.
Brevican helps the neurons in our brains communicate with one another.
When do “waves” of brain ageing hit?
This study found that, on average, brain ageing seemed to happen in three distinct stages.
That’s because the 13 crucial proteins they found in peoples’ blood peaked thrice in their lives.
These happened at 57, 70, and 78, the paper suggests.
Does that mean my brain will definitely change at those ages?
No ― this paper only found a link, and not a cause, between peaks in protein levels and predicted brain ageing.
It suggested testing peoples’ blood protein at those ages as a potential protective factor against conditions like dementia, but that would not count as a diagnosis at this point.
Still, it’s far from the first study to find a link between protein in peoples’ blood and their “biological” age.
And research going back decades suggests that mental decline may not happen in a straight line.
Always speak to your GP if you’re worried about memory loss or brain changes.
