Posted on 03/14/2025 7:27:57 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
A study has unveiled that brain aging follows a distinct yet nonlinear trajectory with critical transition points. The research offers insights into when interventions to prevent cognitive decline might be most effective.
The team analyzed brain networks in more than 19,300 individuals. Their findings reveal functional communication between brain regions (brain networks) begins to destabilize around age 44, with the degeneration of brain networks accelerating most rapidly at age 67 and plateauing by age 90.
The researchers identified its primary driver: neuronal insulin resistance.
By comparing metabolic, vascular, and inflammatory biomarkers, they found that metabolic changes consistently preceded vascular and inflammatory ones. Gene expression analyses further implicated the insulin-dependent glucose transporter GLUT4 and the lipid transport protein APOE (a known Alzheimer's risk factor) in these aging patterns.
However, these same gene expression analyses also identified the neuronal ketone transporter MCT2 as a potential protective factor, suggesting that enhancing the brain's ability to utilize ketones—an alternative brain fuel that neurons can metabolize without insulin—might be beneficial.
This finding of the ketone transporter then motivated an interventional study, in which researchers compared administration of individually weight-dosed and calorically matched glucose and ketones to 101 participants at different stages along the aging trajectory.
The effects were striking in this cohort. Unlike glucose, ketones effectively stabilized deteriorating brain networks, but with effects that differed significantly across critical transition points. Ketones showed moderate benefits in young adults (20–39 years), showed maximum benefits during the midlife "metabolic stress" period (40–59 years), after which networks begin destabilizing, but had diminished impact in older adults (60–79 years) once the network destabilization hit maximum acceleration and the domination of compounding vascular effects.
This research suggests that metabolic intervention—whether through dietary approaches like ketogenic diets or supplements—might be most effective when started in one's 40s, well before cognitive symptoms appear.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Well it’s probably too late to save we Freepers. We need to recruit another generation. Or JR needs to integrate AI to argue with each other, and the last Freeper pull out the plug.
How many will confuse Ketones with Keystone beer?
I suppose that I am missing something. Exactly what is this article trying to suggest should be done to prevent age related “brain decline”? It seems to hint at changes in diet, but no specific guidelines are given.
The researchers identified its primary driver: neuronal insulin resistance.
“This research suggests that metabolic intervention—whether through dietary approaches like ketogenic diets or supplements—might be most effective when started in one's 40s, well before cognitive symptoms appear.”
Curbing all forms of insulin resistance would appear to be helpful.
I found the following list at:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22206-insulin-resistance
Acquired causes of the condition, meaning you’re not born with the cause, include:
Excess body fat: Scientists believe obesity is a primary cause of insulin resistance. Excess fat in your belly and around your organs (visceral fat) especially raises your risk.
Physical inactivity: Movement and exercise make your body more sensitive to insulin. Exercise also builds muscle that can absorb blood glucose. A lack of physical activity can lead to the condition.
Food choices: A diet of highly processed foods, high in carbohydrates and saturated fats, has been linked to the condition
Certain medications: Steroids, blood pressure medications, HIV treatments and other medications can cause insulin resistance.
Is there anything that you would like to add?
I would add:
- Not getting enough fiber and low-carb veggies.
- Drinking or eating too many simple carbs.
- Getting too little quality sleep.
- Having stress affect you.
- Not being on a low carb diet.
Eating too many calories
Not sure if you posted it or not, I think it was. But there was a video discussing how some folks with massive brain plaque, or tangles, (the amyloid buikdup) in the brain never got dementia of any kind- it was kinda suggestive that the p,aque was not what causes dementia. Wish I had bookmarked the video- the people were followed, and never did get dementia and died with use of their brains-
The only thing anyone will ever confuse Keystone beer with is urine.
I would narrow your list a little.
On BP drugs it’s mainly beta blockers that cause insulin resistance. ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and calcium channel blockers are preferred for managing blood pressure. I think mainly beta blockers don’t cause insulin resistance so much directly as they tend to lower physical activity and metabolism (which causes insulin resistance).
On steroids, it’s corticosteroids, like you take for allergies or inflammation. Go Arnold yourself up all you want with anabolic steroids.
We main-lined keystone beer when things got tough- then we “graduated” to st poli girl beer when the money started to roll in lol
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