Stanford research showing that an infusion of young blood recharges the brains of old mice is one of the finalists for Science magazine's annual contest for People's Choice for Breakthrough of the Year. Today is the last day to cast your vote. Click here if you'd like to support the work, which could lead to new therapeutic approaches for treating dementia.
Several months ago, I had the pleasure of helping break the news about this great piece of research. So, let's face it, I take a certain amount of pride in the amount of news coverage it received and the attention it's getting now.
But the real credit goes to Stanford neuroscientist Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD, along with his able lead author Saul Villeda, PhD, and colleagues. This important discovery by Wyss-Coray's team revealed that infusing young mice's blood plasma into the bloodstream of old mice makes those old mice jump up and do the Macarena - and perform a whole lot better on mousey IQ tests.
Infusing blood plasma is hardly a new technique. As Wyss-Coray told me when I interviewed him for my release:
"This could have been done 20 years ago....You don't need to know anything about how the brain works. You just give an old mouse young blood and see if the animal is smarter than before. It's just that nobody did it."
And after all, isn't that what breakthroughs are all about? It's still too early to say, but this simple treatment - or (more likely) drugs based on a better understanding of what factors in blood are responsible for reversing neurological decline - could someday turn out to have applications for Alzheimer's disease and much more.
At last count, the Wyss-Coray's research is neck-and-neck with a competing project for first place. If you think, as I do, that a discovery with this much potential deserves a vote of confidence make sure to take a moment this afternoon to cast your virtual ballot.
Previously: The rechargeable brain: Blood plasma from young mice improves old mice's memory and learning, Old blood makes young brains act older, and vice versa and Can we reset the aging clock, once cell at a time?
Photo by FutUndBeidl
