Sea Squirt Compound Reversed Several Aging Signs in Mice, Study Reports

A compound associated with edible sea squirts appeared to reverse several age-related changes in mice, according to research involving scientists from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Stanford University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The researchers focused on plasmalogens, a type of lipid found in cell membranes. These compounds occur naturally in the body, including in the brain, heart and immune cells, but their levels tend to decline with age. Sea squirts, marine animals eaten in parts of Asia, contain high levels of plasmalogens. In the experiments, aged mice received plasmalogen supplements in their diets. After five days of training in a Morris water maze, treated mice located a hidden escape platform significantly faster than untreated aged mice. Their performance was more similar to that of younger animals, the report said. Brain examinations found that the treated mice had more synapses—the junctions that allow nerve cells to communicate—and that the connections appeared to be in better condition. The mice also showed substantially lower levels of inflammation in the brain. The physical effects were unusual as well. According to the researchers, aged mice given plasmalogens grew new black hair that was thicker and glossier than the hair of aged mice that did not receive the supplement. The scientists do not yet know precisely how plasmalogens produced the changes. They suggested that the compounds may increase molecules involved in the growth and development of neurons and synapses, alter the flexibility of synaptic membranes, or influence the gut-brain connection through changes in gut microorganisms. The findings do not establish that plasmalogens reverse aging in people. The reported work was conducted in mice, and further research would be needed to determine whether similar effects occur in humans, what doses might be useful and whether long-term supplementation is safe. The researchers also did not show that simply eating sea squirts would produce the same results. The study, titled “Plasmalogens Eliminate Aging-Associated Synaptic Defects and Microglia-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Mice,” was published in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences.