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Scientists discover protein that turns young brains old

Ellsworth Toohey
Aug 22, 2025
∙ Paid

Orla/Shutterstock.com

When researchers increased levels of an iron-storing protein called FTL1 in young mice's brains, they began showing memory problems typically seen only in old age. When scientists reduced FTL1 in the hippocampus of older mice — the brain's memory center — their cognitive function improved significantly.

This discovery by University o…

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