Scientists at the New York Genome Center have discovered significant changes in how the human brain regulates its genome beginning in midlife, potentially explaining the increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. The research, published in *Science*, focused on the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for learning and memory.
One of the most notable findings involved microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells. Between approximately ages 50 and 75, researchers observed a decline in microglia originating during embryonic development, replaced by cells resembling those found in the blood. This challenges the previous understanding that these early-established microglia remain for life. These replacement cells also exhibited stronger inflammatory signatures, suggesting a potential link to chronic inflammation in the aging brain.
Researchers, led by Bing Ren, PhD, Scientific Director and CEO of the New York Genome Center, and Professor of Genetics and Development, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, and Systems Biology at Columbia University, also detected a decrease in cells responsible for maintaining the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from harmful substances.
“Microglia are critical for maintaining brain homeostasis,” said Bing Ren, PhD. “When these cells fail to perform their housekeeping duties,” the research indicates a potential disruption in brain health. The study utilized advanced single-cell methods to analyze gene regulation and three-dimensional genome organization in individual cells, creating a detailed picture of how genome regulation shifts with age.
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