🔬TODAY’S BREAKTHROUGH
A new lipid‑based biomarker DoliClock tracks brain aging and highlights key neurological risk periods around ages 40 and 60, offering novel insight into brain-specific aging trajectories.
The Discovery:
A team analyzed post-mortem prefrontal cortex lipidomes from humans and found that levels of dolichol variants (especially dolichol‑19 and ‑20) change predictably with age. This enabled construction of DoliClock, a lipid aging clock that detects accelerated brain aging in conditions such as autism, schizophrenia, and Down syndrome.
The Science:
DoliClock uses lipidomic data, especially dolichol lipids involved in N‑glycosylation and intracellular transport to estimate brain biological age
Significant age acceleration within disorders like autism, schizophrenia, and Down syndrome
Observed rises in entropy (diversity of lipid variants) around age 40 and 60, suggesting disrupted microbial synthesis pathways and metabolic imbalance
Highlights the mevalonate pathway and dolichol accumulation as key contributors to neurological aging
Represents a rare example of a brain-region specific biomarker, rather than systemic aging clocks
Your Action:
While lipid clocks aren’t clinically available, this study underscores the importance of brain metabolic health. Prioritize practices that support mevalonate pathway balance, such as maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, supportive diet, and overall neurovascular well-being.
Bottom Line:
DoliClock reveals how shifts in brain lipid composition map onto disease and aging offering a new window into brain-specific longevity biomarkers.
Source:
DoliClock: a lipid‑based aging clock reveals accelerated aging in neurological disorders, Aging (Albany NY), Latumalea et al., June 4 2025
https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206266
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Disclaimer:
This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen.