Researchers Restore Youthful Memory In Aging Mice 145
An anonymous reader writes "German neuroscientists made a breakthrough in 'age-related cognitive decline', a common condition that often begins in one's late 40s (especially declarative memory — the ability to recall facts and experiences). Their new study identifies a genetic 'switch' for the cluster of learning and memory genes that cause memory impairment in aging mice. By injecting an enzyme, the team 'flipped' the switch to its on position for older mice, giving them the memory and learning performance they'd enjoyed when they were young. Now the team ultimately hopes to recover seemingly lost long-term memory in human patients." The video, which explains the gene flipping mechanism, is worth a watch (2:18).
42 (Score:5, Interesting)
That's my age. I do notice tt takes just a wee bit more effort to cram more stuff in my head than it used to. Other than that, I still enjoy my ability to recall ridicules bits of obscure minutia that when viewed in total aren't enough to get me a good job, but are just enough to be annoying.
Seriously, though. My ability to commit stuff to memory and recall it *IS* one of my marketable skills. And anything that can help prolong the decline is welcome news.
No joke... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:This research is phenomal! (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm in my late 40s... (Score:4, Interesting)
Languages have always interested me (it's what I do for a living these days), and every couple years I try to learn the basics of another language. I find that as long as I exercise the newly learned skill/material, I'm OK (such as reading newspapers in the other language, listening to broadcasts in that language, and finally speaking the language whenever I get the chance. I would imagine I'm using a different part of the brain for these activities, though.
I'm certainly no expert, nor do I claim to know anything of how the mind works for that matter, but I can't help but think that actually using skills learned later in life helps.
This can only have positive results. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:coorelation != causation (Score:2, Interesting)
Actually it's co-orelation. Orelation is the raw material from which irony is made. That is, it's something which isn't quite irony, but out of which one could make irony. Co-orelation is when several people orelate together. :-)
Re:This research is phenomal! (Score:3, Interesting)
The point of civilization is knowledge. Knowledge allows us to predict and adapt to sudden catastrophic environmental change, hence it improves our survival fitness. Economics is just a way to increase knowledge.
If economics is a science, how well does the current model predict economic downturns, or Japan's having a 200% debt-to-gdp ratio but no inflation, low unemployment, and a strong currency?
The current model of economics appears to include an axiom: the creation of money should be in private hands. Can we challenge this axiom, given examples such as Japan, or our own history (Lincoln printing greenbacks, govt making up over 40% of GDP during WWII, inflation not much of a concern during Reagan's run-up of the debt, etc.)? Is it not suspicious that the main proponents of the current economics are the beneficiaries of a system where banks have a monopoly on money creation? Why can't the people's elected representatives create money too?