This year’s first operational dive of Okeanos Explorer has come across the discovery of a new octopod. This is what the National Oceanic and...
A recent study has revealed that a variant of a longevity gene, called Klotho, also plays a role in increasing cognition of people. Researchers found that the intensity of damage caused to the brain because of aging was same in the people with or without higher levels of Klotho. However, people with higher levels of KLOTHO were able to recover brilliantly from those brain damages.
Researchers have enough evidence to claim Klotho gene levels improved cognitive ability and makes people smarter.
"This could be a major step toward helping millions around the world who are suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. If we could boost the brain's ability to function, we may be able to counter dementias", said Dena Dubal, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of neurology at the David A. Coulter Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegeneration at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF).
The name of the gene is taken from a Greek mythological goddess of fate, who spins the thread of life. Scientists have also suggested that one copy of a variant, called KL-VS, helps in increasing life span and reduces the chances of suffering a stroke. On the other hand, people with two copies are likely to die earlier, mostly because of a higher risk of stroke.
The researchers conducted the study on 700 subjects between the ages of 52 and 85 years. None of them had any sign of dementia and the investigators tested them for cognitive skills, including learning, memory, and attention. It was found that those with one copy of the KL-VS variant performed better than those who had no copies.
The study has provided a clear evidence that a significant role is played by genes that regulate the multiple aging processes to maintain cognitive functioning.
