Spinal tap to slow aging? Where do I sign!

Connie Chang
Jul 28, 2017 · 2 min read

My mind was blown yesterday when a friend shared this article:

Brain cells found to control aging

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine seemed to have found the master switch to aging. They’ve shown in mice that a population of hypothalamic stem cells is the key to aging. They found that these stem cells released anti-aging molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) that play key roles in gene expression.

The researchers extracted miRNA-containing exosomes from hypothalamic stem cells and injected them into the cerebrospinal fluid of two groups of mice: middle-aged mice whose hypothalamic stem cells had been destroyed and normal middle-aged mice. This treatment significantly slowed aging in both groups of animals as measured by tissue analysis and behavioral testing that involved assessing changes in the animals’ muscle endurance, coordination, social behavior and cognitive ability.

Never have I wished to be a mouse, until yesterday. I would sign up for spinal tap to slow my aging — and my chinchillas and my parents. The extra decade or two could mean cryostasis or achieving longevity escape velocity.

Some of my family have a pessimistic view, despite the clear trend that humans will eventually achieve indefinite lifespans. They’ll say things like “I don’t want to live forever.” or “There’s too many people on this planet.” or “After I die, I’ll go to a better place.” Wow, we are amazing at quelling cognitive dissonance. Dissecting those thoughts would require a whole book, so I won’t digress.

So, if we found the molecules to stop, slow, and reverse aging, would you sign up for a spinal tap? Comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Connie Chang

Written by

Chinchilla wrangler, board gamer, coder. Loves sewing and math. By day, I develop software to derive insights into nutrition.

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