Scientists reverse brain aging, with a nasal spray

Key Points:

• Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a nasal spray therapy that significantly reduces brain inflammation, restores cellular energy, and improves memory in aging brains, with effects lasting for months after just two doses.
• The treatment uses extracellular vesicles carrying microRNAs delivered intranasally to bypass the blood-brain barrier and target brain immune cells, suppressing inflammation pathways linked to neurodegeneration and reactivating neuronal mitochondria.
• This breakthrough challenges the notion that brain aging and associated cognitive decline are inevitable, offering potential applications for treating dementia, stroke recovery, and general cognitive aging in both men and women.
• The study, published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles and supported by the National Institute on Aging, represents a promising, non-invasive alternative to current neurodegenerative therapies and has led to a pending U.S. patent.
• The findings could have profound societal impact by addressing the projected rise in dementia cases and redefining successful brain aging as maintaining cognitive function and engagement rather than merely extending lifespan.