衰老“分子网络”与大脑结构间关联揭示

Core Insights - The research published by the team from Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine establishes a direct link between cellular aging and brain structure, providing new perspectives on brain development, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases [1][3]. Group 1: Research Findings - Understanding brain structure is a core challenge in neuroscience, with its changes throughout life closely related to aging and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's [3]. - The study combines biopsy samples from the prefrontal cortex obtained during deep brain stimulation surgery with brain imaging data, allowing for simultaneous analysis of molecular features and brain structure in the same individual [3]. - A novel method was developed to identify aging cells in live human brain tissue, exploring the relationship between aging-related gene expression and brain structure [3][4]. Group 2: Key Discoveries - One significant finding is that the impact of cellular aging on brain structure varies by cell type and life stage; genes related to the aging of microglia are associated with larger brain volume, while those related to excitatory neurons are linked to reduced brain volume during aging [4]. - Aging-related characteristics of excitatory neurons are evident early in life, indicating that the aging process begins shortly after embryonic development [4]. - The study also detected signs of aging during developmental stages, suggesting that this process may play a critical role in early brain development [4].