Neurology, Addiction and Psychiatry Conference

The advances recently made in neuroscience, the biology of aging, and their impact on neurogenesis discussed, revolve around changes the brain with aging and how those changes affect cognitive function, memory, and neuroplasticity. Neurogenesis is a process whereby new neurons generated by neural stem cells are formed throughout life and rely mainly on regions such as the hippocampus. The hippocampus is regarded as being crucially important for learning and memory processes. However, this rate of neurogenesis decreases with age, altered brain function, and contributes to the progressive expression of age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Aging impacts nearly every aspect of brain biology-from neuronal health and synaptic plasticity to the degree of adaptability the brain allows new information. This decreases neurogenesis in the brain-a fundamental condition affecting learning and memory-as well as reduces flexibility in thought patterns. The lower rate of neuroplasticity is therefore correlated with a lower neural stem cell activity, especially because some environments favorable to neuron growth, like the neurogenic niche, are lost.

More and more, investigation in the biology of aging is uncovering molecular mechanisms that regulate neurogenesis and how such processes change with age. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and other factors related to a shift in the brain's metabolic state are among the contributors to declines in neurogenesis characteristic of the aging brain. Besides diminishing cognitive function, these losses form the basis for neurodegenerative disorders. For example, abnormal accumulation of proteins like beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease may inhibit neurogenesis and open up avenues to neuronal death.

Although new doors are currently being opened stating that lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, diet, and training of the brain, can stimulate neurogenesis in older adults and be beneficial for a healthy brain in aging, a vast majority of research studies are withering away with age. A few of the upcoming therapies include stem cell transplantation and gene therapy. These are still under research and development to replenish neurogenesis and reverse the fall of cognitive conditions among elderly populations.

Understanding biology of aging and neurogenesis is what is very important for the new treatments designed to help preserve the quality of brain tissue while also preventing age-related cognitive decline. Further targeting of mechanisms that control neurogenesis should still hold the promise to mitigate the negative effects that aging has on the brain and potentially increase healthy age.