A rhesus monkey wondering where the hell he left his wallet. A new injectable therapy can now help him remember
What's the news: An injection of klotho, a longevity factor, improved memory in rhesus monkeys.
Why should we believe it: This news is based on a study published earlier this week by scientists from Yale University and UCSF. These scientists injected klotho, a protein that's been linked to anti-aging, into nine aged rhesus monkeys, equivalent to 65-year-old humans. The scientists then tested those monkeys on two memory tests and found:
Klotho injection improved memory in the monkeys.
The effect lasted for at least two weeks.
Why this is a big deal: Klotho is a known longevity factor. Variants of the klotho gene protect against Alzheimer's disease, and there is hope that targeting this gene, or providing klotho directly, can have a neuroprotective effect. The current study shows this in an animal very close to a human. Hopefully, human studies will follow soon.
So what specifically can you do now: While we wait for those human klotho injection studies, you might wonder if there are any ways to increase klotho levels naturally.
According to several mouse and human studies, there might be. They are the familiar ones - exercise, eating healthy and in moderation, getting some sunlight. And if that's not sexy enough for you, then read on for an experimental and possibly suspect way to increase klotho.