Researchers successfully restore the brain's 'sweet layer' and recover memory

Aging can bring plenty of surprises, but few people suspect that part of the trouble might involve sugar. Researchers have learned that the brain’s protective coating of sugars loses some of its heft with age, and that this sugar loss might undermine the brain’s defenses.

Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi, from Stanford University, became curious about this sugary armor and looked into whether replenishing it could tighten the brain’s protective barrier.

That barrier, called the blood-brain barrier, is designed to let in necessary nutrients while blocking harmful substances. This sugar coat, known as the glycocalyx, sits on cells that form the blood-brain barrier. A recent study in mice found that the glycocalyx becomes thinner over time, leaving gaps that invite unwanted molecules to slip in.

🆔@neurocognitionandlearning

Neuroscience & Psychology

Researchers successfully restore the brain's 'sweet layer' and recover memory

Aging can bring plenty of surprises, but few people suspect that part of the trouble might involve sugar. Researchers have learned that the brain’s protective coating of sugars loses some of its heft with age, and that this sugar loss might undermine the brain’s defenses.

Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi, from Stanford University, became curious about this sugary armor and looked into whether replenishing it could tighten the brain’s protective barrier.

That barrier, called the blood-brain barrier, is designed to let in necessary nutrients while blocking harmful substances. This sugar coat, known as the glycocalyx, sits on cells that form the blood-brain barrier. A recent study in mice found that the glycocalyx becomes thinner over time, leaving gaps that invite unwanted molecules to slip in.

🆔@neurocognitionandlearning

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264 viewsedited  May 22 at 19:53