Princeton Neuroscience Institute

Coleen Murphy, http://www.molbio1.princeton.edu/labs/murphy/  an Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology and Associated Faculty of the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, and her lab have shown that the same mechanisms that extend longevity by reducing activity in the insulin-signaling pathway - a chain of events through which insulin influences numerous biological processes, including metabolism, stress response and development -  also have an impact on cognitive function.  By studying worms, the scientists were able to analyze the effects of caloric restriction and reduced insulin signaling on declines in learning and memory brought on by age. The findings have implications for the development of treatments that simultaneously help people live longer and prevent the devastating losses in memory that so often occur with age. Their results are published in the May 18 edition of the journal Public Library of Science Biology. 

Please see following links:

http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1000372

http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nrn2869.pdf

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S27/42/23K29/index.xml?section=topstories