30% Calorie Cut May Protect the Aging Brain, Monkey Study Suggests

A long-term study led by Boston University indicates that reducing calorie intake by about 30% may slow certain aspects of normal brain aging in rhesus monkeys and could have implications for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Researchers compared the brains of 24 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) that had been fed either calorie-restricted or standard diets for more than 20 years. Tissue analyses showed molecular signs of healthier nerve insulation and improved maintenance mechanisms in animals that consumed roughly 30 percent fewer calories.

Key Findings

The investigators focused on myelin, the fatty insulating sheath that surrounds nerve fibers, speeds electrical signaling, and protects axons. Myelin typically deteriorates with age, a process that can promote inflammation and impair neural function.

In monkeys on long-term calorie-restricted diets, researchers observed:

• Increased activity of myelin-related genes.
• Improved function in metabolic pathways associated with myelin production and maintenance.
• Better performance from the cells that produce and sustain myelin (including oligodendrocytes and supporting cells), which appeared to prevent some aging-related cellular changes seen in control animals.

Boston University neurobiologist Ana Vitantonio, the study's first author, notes that this work provides rare long-term evidence that calorie restriction may protect against brain aging in a complex primate model.

Coauthor Tara Moore, also a neurobiologist at Boston University, adds that these cellular changes could have important implications for cognition and learning if they translate into preserved neural function.

Why It Matters

The results add to growing interest in the relationship between myelin decline and age-related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Experimental and imaging studies have linked myelin breakdown to rapid cognitive decline, and this new evidence suggests diet may be one modifiable factor that influences myelin health over the long term.

Limitations And Next Steps

The study involved a modest number of animals, and while rhesus monkeys share many structural and functional similarities with humans, more research is required to confirm whether comparable dietary interventions would produce the same benefits in people. The authors emphasize the need for follow-up human studies and note that diet is only one of several lifestyle factors that affect brain aging, alongside sleep quality, physical activity, and ongoing cognitive engagement.

The findings are published in the journal Aging Cell.