Restricting calories is known to improve health and increase lifespan, but much of how it does so remains a mystery, especially in regard to how it protects the brain. Scientists have now uncovered a role for a gene called OXR1 that is necessary for the lifespan extension seen with dietary restriction and is essential for healthy brain aging.

Source: Buck Institute for Research on Aging

“When people restrict the amount of food that they eat, they typically think it might affect their digestive tract or fat buildup, but not necessarily about how it affects the brain,” said Kenneth Wilson, Ph.D., Buck postdoc and first author of the study, published online on January 11, 2024 in Nature Communications. “As it turns out, this is a gene that is important in the brain.”

“The gene is an important brain resilience factor protecting against aging and neurological diseases,” said Buck Professor Lisa Ellerby, Ph.D., co-senior author of the study.