Longevity: What Does the Brain Have to Do with It?

Reducing insulin substrate signaling in the brain increases life span in overweight and glucose-intolerant mice.

In nematode and fruit fly models, reducing insulin or insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling extends life span. Neurons are among the cells that participate in such signaling. Insulin receptor substrates (IRSs) are phosphorylated by an insulin receptor after it is activated by insulin or IGF-1. Phosphorylated IRS activates a variety of downstream signaling pathways, which regulate various cellular functions. Four IRSs exist in mammals, and these researchers examined how reducing levels of one type (Irs2) would affect life span in genetically modified mice.

Hemizygous deletion of the Irs2 gene throughout the body, as well as hemizygous or homozygous deletion of the Irs2 gene only in the brain, extended life span up to 18% in brain-specifi…

Reviewing Author

Edward H. Koo, MD