On May 25, 2015, the journal Aging Cell published new research from 2010 AFAR Research Grant Recipient Troy Ghashghaei on the function of the MARCKS protein.
MARCKS is found in the brain and helps to maintain the function of the ependymal cells, or the cells which form a protective barrier around the brain. Dr. Ghashghei’s team found that when MARCKS was removed from ependymal cells oxidative stress increased and the brain aged rapidly. This research shows that MARCKS may play an essential role in the speed of brain aging.
Read the complete paper here or see a summary of the study here.
Troy Ghashghaei, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology at North Carolina State University.
Interested in the question “How and Why Do We Age?” Visit our InfoAging section on the Biology of Aging for more information on the basically biological causes of aging.
