From Newsgroup: talk.origins

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250820000808.htm

A gene called FTL1 appears to be involved in brain aging. In mice the
level of FTL1 in the brain increases as the brain ages, and treatment to
block the function of FTL1 restores brain functions lost due to aging.

It could be a gene that can be controled in order to decrease age
effects on the brain.

FTL1 is ferritin light chain 1. It is the smaller subunit of ferritin protein. Ferritin is a major iron storage protein, and FTL1 had already
been associated with neurodegeneration due to the accumulation of iron. Ferritin safely stores iron in the cell, but mutations in FTL1 reduce ferritin's ability to bind iron and free iron accumulates in the brain
causing neurodegeneration. This seems to be opposite of having more
FTL1 in the brain with age. Not enough functional ferritin is bad.

The current study results indicate that too much ferritin is not good.
The prediction is that continued blockage of FTL1 function would
eventually result in neurodegeneration after brain functions had been
restored to youthful levels.

They seem to need to do some research on how much free iron can be in
the brain.

Ron Okimoto

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