But scientists think they may have found a key piece in the puzzle: protein FTL1. In older mice, FLT1 levels were higher. To investigate whether the protein itself was causing that change, the scientists gave younger mice more of the protein than their bodies naturally made. When they did that, the younger mice had “synaptic changes and cognitive impairments indicative of hippocampal ageing”. AdvertisementIn other words, their brain and behaviours began to mimic those of older mice.

Source: Huffington Post April 11, 2026 14:31 UTC