Buildup of a protein called filamentous actin, or F-actin, in the brain inhibits the removal of cellular wastes, including DNA, lipids, proteins and organelles. The resulting accumulation of waste ...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 116, No. 24 (June 11, 2019), pp. 12084-12093 (10 pages) Srv2p/CAP1 is an essential regulator of actin turnover, ...

The researchers experimented on a Drosophila – fruit fly – model, examining the F-actin in the brains of naturally aging animals. They compared the brains of young, middle-aged, and late-age flies and ...

Humans and fruit flies both may become forgetful as they age. But because fruit flies have a lifespan of only about two months, they can be a useful model for understanding the cognitive decline that ...

Dendritic spines are tiny membranous protrusions on the dendrites of neurons. Dendritic spines change shape in response to input signals, thereby strengthening the connections between neurons. The ...