BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers found that two new genes can prevent healthy aging, which provides a theoretical basis for delaying brain aging, according to a report by Science and Technology Daily Friday.
The research published in Nature was jointly carried out by two research teams from the Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, CAS.
Previous studies found that longevity genes do not necessarily delay the behavioral deterioration of animals in aging, which means increasing longevity is rarely accompanied by an extended healthspan.
Through screening of genes that regulate behavioral deterioration in aging Caenorhabditis elegans and the examination of human databases, researchers found that the expression of two genes, BAZ2B and EHMT1, increases with age and correlates positively with the progression of Alzheimer's disease, said the research paper.
The research further showed that reducing the function of BAZ2B can improve cognitive function and behavioral ability of aging C. elegans or mice.
Considering the large species differences between human beings and animals, there is still great uncertainty as to whether the study can be applied to human beings, the researchers said.
