Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco have discovered the ability of a lifespan-extending gene variant to boost cognitive function in mice.

The KLOTHO (KL) gene is known to play an active role in regulating the aging process. In individuals with the VS variant of the KL gene (KL-VS), overexpression of KL-VS causes increased secretion of klotho protein. High levels of klotho protein is known to increase lifespan, and  also lessen the occurrence of age-related heart disease. Contrarily, the disruption of klotho protein can accelerate visible signs of aging.

The researchers discovered the effects of klotho on aging earlier, when they tested the cognitive function of participants. The results indicated that participants with the KL-VS gene variant had increased attention, memory, language and visio-spatial awareness compared to their counterparts without the VS version. Klotho’s effects on cognitive functions were further investigated by the team, in a study now published in Cell Reports. 

Experiments performed on mice by overexpressing KL-VS in them showed that increased levels of klotho caused increased levels of a protein, GluN2B. GluN2B is a key part of the process of building synapses, which are the basis of communication between brain cells known as neurons. Hence, increasing klotho levels means increasing the strength of communication between neurons, possibly leading to greater efficiencies in brain activity.

Perhaps even more intriguing, is the fact that high klotho levels can mean increased cognitive function regardless of certain other factors such as age and sex. Additionally, it was found that enhanced cognitive function was not impaired by the presence of apolipoprotein 4, the main genetic indicator of Alzheimer’s disease, thus showing promise for the findings to lead to potential treatments for medical conditions causing cognitive impairment.