AYS Webinar Summary - Session 2: Is it Practically Possible to Slow Brain Aging?
Session Summary
Asian Young Scientist Webinar - “The Biggest Question for My Science” event series fosters a deeper understanding of the fundamental questions that drive scientific discovery. Each session features an AYS Fellow and a prominent scientist from related fields discussing the most critical question in their research and the scientific community's approach to it.
The second session, held on August 22, 2024 (CST), focused on cognitive sharpness and mental acuity, with presentations by Professors Ho Ko (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Hee-Sup Shin (Institute for Basic Science), and Xiangdong Fu (Westlake University), exploring the natural progression of time and its effects on our brains.
Professor Ho Ko: The Feasibility of Slowing Brain Aging and Implications for the Treatment of Diseases
Professor Ho Ko initiated the discussion with a comprehensive overview of brain aging and raised the following questions:
What can we explore to achieve anti-aging or anti-brain aging effects in scientific investigations?
How can we practically deploy anti-aging strategies, especially if they are not pharmacologically based, given the challenges of asking the elderly to follow such regimens?
If any pharmaceutical is shown to be anti-brain aging, what are the eventual deployment challenges of using pharmaceuticals, balancing benefits against potential side effects?
In his presentation, he emphasized the lack of effective treatments and the need for more research. His speech also covered potential anti-aging strategies, such as intermittent fasting and pharmaceutical interventions, noting their challenges and side effects. The exploration of young plasma components to counteract brain aging was also mentioned, along with the necessity for further studies to understand and treat the aging process effectively.
Professor Xiangdong Fu: Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease
Professor Xiangdong Fu's presentation discussed the increasing societal impact of neurodegenerative diseases due to an aging population, emphasizing the need for scientific understanding and effective treatments. They pondered the variation in lifespan across different organisms and its implications for age-related diseases. He posed several significant unresolved questions:
What are the common features of neurodegenerative diseases, and which are the causes versus consequences?
Why are there so many genes of diverse functions involved in a given disease?
Are all neural degenerate diseases associated with aggregate formation, and what is their role in disease?
How does aging impact the progression of neurodegenerative diseases in the brain?
How can we develop different strategies against neurodegenerative diseases at different stages of their progression?
His talk also touched on the genetic factors linked to premature aging and the role of DNA damage repair in these conditions. Dr. Fu highlighted the complexity of the human genome and the simplicity of mitochondrial DNA, questioning how these factors influence disease. The discussion aimed to explore strategies for combating neurodegenerative diseases at various stages of progression.
Professor Hee-Sup Shin: Effort to take care of the ROS involved in diverse neurodegenerative diseases
Professor Hee-Sup Shin explored the aging phenomenon, proposing that it operates as a potential positive feedback loop involving genes, molecules, and environmental factors, with a specific focus on the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS). His research sheds light on the complex interactions that may drive the aging process and opens up avenues for innovative therapeutic approaches. He highlighted several explosive questions that offer significant promise for future research:
How can we disrupt the positive feedback loop of aging at any level to slow down the process?
What is the role of reactive astrocytes in neurodegenerative diseases, and how can they be targeted therapeutically?
What is the significance of astrocytic hemoglobin as a peroxidase in the brain, and how can it be utilized as a therapeutic target?
These questions point to a deep and rich field of study, with the potential to significantly advance our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and aging. By exploring these pathways, Professor Shin's research may contribute to breakthroughs in therapeutic interventions that could slow down the aging process, prevent neurodegeneration, and improve overall brain health. His work emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, combining molecular biology, genetics, and environmental science to unravel the complexities of aging and neurodegenerative disorders.
Conclusion
The session concluded with a call for younger researchers to explore these profound questions. As Professor Ho Ko noted, these inquiries represent opportunities for discovery and advancement in life science. We list the questions here to encourage deep investigation and uncover new possibilities.
The Asian Young Scientist Webinar series is tailored for students and young faculty interested in science, research, and grappling with scientific inquiries across disciplines. Each session features a research topic raised by an AYS Fellow. It will be held monthly via online Zoom meetings and is open to participation.
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