A drug combination widely studied for its anti-aging potential may have a serious downside. Researchers at the University of Connecticut report that the treatment caused significant brain damage in mice, raising concerns about its growing use in longevity research and off-label anti-aging therapies.
The findings, published in PNAS, showed that the drug pairing dasatinib+quercetin (D+Q) damaged myelin, the protective coating that surrounds nerve fibers and helps electrical signals travel efficiently through the brain and body.
"When you administer this cocktail to an animal, young or old, the myelin is damaged, which makes it disappear. Even worse in the young animals" than in the aged ones, says UConn School of Medicine immunologist Stephen Crocker.
Myelin loss can lead to numbness, pain, difficulty walking, and problems with memory and thinking. Damage to myelin is also a defining feature of multiple sclerosis.
Anti-Aging Drugs and Brain Health Concerns
