Suppressing the brain protein "FTL1" may restore memory? ── UCSF reveals the identity of the "aging switch"

A research team from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has identified a protein called "FTL1 (Ferritin Light Chain 1)" that increases with age in the hippocampus, the command center of memory. Increasing FTL1 in young mice resulted in weaker neuronal branching (dendrites) and a decline in long-term potentiation (LTP) and memory test performance. Conversely, targeting and reducing FTL1 in the hippocampus of aged mice led to the recovery of synaptic markers and improved memory. It was also found that FTL1 reduces neuronal metabolism (ATP production), and this negative effect could be partially offset by NADH administration. FTL1 is a ferritin light chain involved in iron metabolism and exhibits behaviors such as increasing the ratio of oxidized iron (Fe³⁺) in the aging brain. The research findings were published in Nature Aging on August 19, 2025. Although currently at the mouse stage, the possibility has emerged that **"suppressing FTL1 = reversing age-related cognitive decline."** Challenges such as safety, targeting, and the blood-brain barrier remain for human application, but the addition of a new target in aging and dementia research is significant.