An aging-sensitive secreted phospholipase confers neuroprotection and cognitive resilience.

Elevating Pla2g2f in hippocampal dentate granule cells during aging prevents cognitive decline and associated neurophysiological changes in mice.

• Why it matters: Understanding mechanisms that confer cognitive resilience during aging can inform strategies to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline.
• What they did: The study identified Pla2g2f expression increases in DGCs during aging and used genetic and biochemical approaches to show that boosting Pla2g2f prevents synapse loss, inflammation, lipid dysregulation, and memory impairment in mice.
• The result: Findings suggest Pla2g2f acts as a neuroprotective signal maintaining lipid homeostasis, which may enable interventions to promote cognitive resilience during aging.