Experimental drug may reverse age related cognitive decline in elderly: Study

USA: A few doses of an experimental drug (called ISRIB) was shown to reverse age-related decline in mental flexibility and memory in mice, according to a recent study in the journal eLife.  

The drug has already been shown to restore memory function after traumatic brain injury, reverse cognitive impairments in Down syndrome, enhance cognition in healthy animals, fight certain types of prostate cancer, and prevent noise-related hearing loss. 

Age-associated cognitive decline has become a growing concern with increased life expectancy. The activation of integrated stress response (ISR) during aging is known to contribute to age-related brain phenotypes. 

The researchers found that the ISR normally detects problems with protein production in a cell—a potential sign of viral infection or cancer-promoting gene mutations—and responds by putting the brakes on cell's protein-synthesis machinery. This safety mechanism is critical for weeding out misbehaving cells, but if stuck in the on position in a tissue like the brain, it can lead to serious problems, as cells lose the ability to perform their normal activities