A new study, conducted by scientists from Fujita University and the Tokyo Institute of Medical Sciences, revealed a biological indicator indicating accelerated brain aging, which may be linked to anxiety disorders.
During the study, the researchers analyzed genetic and medical data from 17 research samples suffering from various neurological and psychological disorders, and discovered a phenomenon known as “hypermaturation” in the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for emotion and memory.
The results showed that neurons in the hippocampus mature and age abnormally quickly in these models, which causes accompanying behaviors of depression and schizophrenia.
In a related context, a previous study from Zhengzhou University in China showed that people who suffer from physical weakness, weight loss, slow walking, weak grip strength during handshakes, and chronic fatigue are more susceptible to dementia, which supports the relationship between declining physical abilities and accelerated brain aging.
It is worth noting that this discovery contributes to improving the diagnosis of psychological disorders associated with premature brain aging, and paves the way for the development of more accurate preventive treatments for these conditions.