Saul Villeda, PhD

Caloric-restriction Induced Mechanisms of Cognitive Rejuvenation

Identifying novel therapies to delay, and potentially reverse, age-related cognitive decline is critical given the projected increase of dementia-related disorders in an aging population. Caloric restriction counters age-related impairments in cognitive function in the aged brain. Dr. Villeda’s lab and others have shown that systemic interventions, including administration of blood plasma derived from young or exercised aged animals rejuvenates cognition at old age. The rejuvenating effects of caloric restriction mirror those observed with a youthful circulation, raising the possibility that caloric restriction similarly functions through blood factors to exert its beneficial effects. The goal of the proposed research is to investigate the rejuvenating potential of caloric restriction-induced blood factors on the aged brain at the cellular, molecular and cognitive level. The proposed studies aim to identify molecular mechanisms that can be targeted to promote cognitive rejuvenation at old age, with clear therapeutic implications for dementia-related neurodegenerative disorders.