Dena Dubal: Longevity Factor Klotho, Cognition, Brain Aging, and Alzheimer’s Disease

In 1997 Makoto Kuro-o and his colleagues reported that they had accidentally discovered a gene that encodes a protein that slows aging and extends the lifespan of mice. They named the protein ‘Klotho’ after the Greek goddess that ‘spins the thread of life’. During the past decade University of California San Francisco professor Dena Dubal has shown that Klotho can enhance learning and memory and protect neurons and synapses aging dysfunction and degeneration in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. Klotho production is increased by exercise and intermittent fasting. In this episode Dr. Dubal talks about her research on Klotho and the potential of Klotho as a treatment for cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and other brain disorders..

 LINKS: 

Review article on Klotho:

file:///Users/markmattson/Downloads/s41581-018-0078-3%20(1).pdf 

Klotho enhances cognition in old nonhuman primates:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10432271/pdf/43587_2023_Article_441.pdf

Klotho treatment in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4323521/pdf/zns2358.pdf

Klotho treatment in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5816951/pdf/nihms941402.pdf

Intermittent fasting and Klotho:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8760057/pdf/41380_2021_Article_1102.pdf

Neuronal activity and Klotho:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6681535/pdf/10.1177_0271678X18762700.pdf