On July 1, 2020 I wrote that the replacement of 50% of blood plasma in old mice brought about the rejuvenation see in Parabiosis; joining of a young and old animal together, so sharing their blood supply, wherein the old animal is rejuvenated and the young animal rapidly ages.

A new study adds considerable clarity to this result, and verifies that The “Old Factors” are virtually all contained in the plasma faction of blood. But this study demonstrates that cognitive function is largely restored and brain inflammation is strongly reduced, by de-exciting Glial Cells, part of the brain’s immune system, which restores normal cognitive function. From the study Abstract:

“Our recent study has established that young blood factors are not causal, nor necessary, for the systemic rejuvenation of mammalian tissues. Instead, a procedure referred to as neutral blood exchange (NBE) that resets signaling milieu to a pro-regenerative state through dilution of old plasma, enhanced the health and repair of the muscle and liver, and promoted better hippocampal neurogenesis in 2-year-old mice (Mehdipour et al., Aging 12:8790–8819, 2020). Here we expand the rejuvenative phenotypes of NBE, focusing on the brain. Namely, our results demonstrate that old mice perform much better in novel object and novel texture (whisker discrimination) tests after a single NBE, which is accompanied by reduced neuroinflammation (less-activated CD68⁺ microglia).”
“Explaining the mechanism of the positive effects of NBE on the brain, our comparative proteomics analysis demonstrated that dilution of old blood plasma yields an increase in the determinants of brain maintenance and repair in mice and in people. These findings confirm the paradigm of rejuvenation through dilution of age-elevated systemic factors and extrapolate it to brain health and function.:

Understand this to mean that here is a possible strategy to reverse the mechanisms of numerous diseases of aging such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s etc. So far to date, none of these studies have isolated these “Aging Factors” in plasma, but have quite conclusively proven that they are a component of old blood plasma.  Link to the study: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-020-00297-8

“Plasma exchange is currently FDA approved for other diseases, and based on our recently published and current work, TPE yields great therapeutic potential toward treating age-associated degenerative and inflammatory diseases of the brain, as well as general age-imposed decline in brain health and function.”

“The use of TPE, where the patient’s plasma is filtered and replaced with a 5–20% albumin solution, was investigated for its effectiveness to mitigate the progression of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. A phase I study that began in 2005 and concluded in 2009 revealed that cognition scores and cerebrospinal fluid Aβ changed little, yet hippocampal volume and frontal and temporal cortex perfusion increased in a 6-month follow-up.”

“A phase II study beginning in 2007 and concluding in 2017 consisted of a larger patient population, measured the same parameters as phase I, and involved a more intensive plasma exchange regimen. Results from phase II were remarkable in attenuation of cognitive decline, with either close to or at 95% confidence interval. Additionally, stabilization of perfusion in the frontal, temporal, and parietal areas was observed in plasma exchange patients [83,84,85]. However, behavioral, functional, and cognitive improvements were not determined with statistical significance [86]. Current multicenter trials are being conducted to further investigate the efficacy of TPE in treating Alzheimer’s disease.”

“Our results agree with the promising direction of TPE being applied to treating Alzheimer’s disease; moreover, our work expands the rejuvenative phenotypes, suggesting that brain diseases, as a class, and even physiological brain aging can be at some point prevented, attenuated, and restored to health–youth through an appropriate dilution of old blood plasma or factors.”

To Your Greater Health and Fitness; that we might do good on Earth,

Frank