FTL1 Protein Accelerates Brain Aging: A New Hope for Future Therapies

Neurology This Protein Speeds Brain Aging — and We Know How to Counter It

2025-08-21 Source: University of California 1 min Reading Time

Related Vendor

Researchers have discovered that the protein FTL1 speeds the aging of the brain, but experiments suggest its effects can be countered, offering hope for future therapies.

Blocking a single protein can restore memory and connectivity in aging brains.(Source: free licensed / KI-generiert / Pixabay) — Blocking a single protein can restore memory and connectivity in aging brains.
(Source: free licensed / KI-generiert / Pixabay)

Aging is particularly harsh on the hippocampus — the brain region responsible for learning and memory. Now, researchers at UC San Francisco have identified a protein that’s at the center of this decline.

They looked at how the genes and proteins in the hippocampus changed over time in mice and found just one that differed between old and young animals. It’s called FTL1.

Old mice had more FTL1, as well as fewer connections between brain cells in the hippocampus and diminished cognitive abilities. When the researchers artificially increased FTL1 levels in young mice, their brains and behavior began to resemble that of old mice.

In experiments in petri dishes, nerve cells engineered to make lots of FTL1 grew simple, one-armed neurites — rather than the branching neurites that normal cells create.

But once the scientists reduced the amount of FTL1 in the hippocampus of the old mice, they regained their youth. They had more connections between nerve cells, and the mice did better on memory tests.

“It is truly a reversal of impairments,” said Saul Villeda, PhD, associate director of the UCSF Bakar Aging Research Institute and senior author of the paper, which appeared in Nature Aging on Aug. 19. “It’s much more than merely delaying or preventing symptoms.”

In old mice, FTL1 also slowed down metabolism in the cells of the hippocampus. But treating the cells with a compound that stimulates metabolism prevented these effects.

Villeda is optimistic the work could lead to therapies that block the effects of FTL1 in the brain.

“We’re seeing more opportunities to alleviate the worst consequences of old age,” he said. “It’s a hopeful time to be working on the biology of aging.”

(ID:50521724)

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.