Study: Shortage of Single Protein Can Lead to Memory Loss

Scientists have found that a shortage of a single protein, RbAp48, appears to impair our ability to remember things as we age. The good news is that boosting levels of this protein can help reverse memory loss - at least in the mice used in the experiment.

The researchers discovered the protein after studying postmortem brains from eight people who ranged in age from 33 to 88. They found that the RbAp48 protein was abundant in the younger brains and scarce in the older brains.

When the researchers boosted the levels of RbAp48 in old mice with failing memories, they found that the mice began to perform memory-related tasks very much like young mice with stronger memory abilities.

The findings suggest that a drug could reverse age-related memory loss in some people, but the researchers stressed that diet and exercise could likely help as well.

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