Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School have discovered how exercise helps ageing muscles repair themselves. This underscores the importance of physical activity for maintaining strength and mobility in old age.
According to the publication, strong muscles are essential for movement, metabolism, and overall vitality. In the study, the team examined the impact of exercise on the molecular processes regulating muscle health and its ability to help prevent muscle loss with age.
Scientists have discovered that the mTORC1 molecular pathway, which regulates protein production and muscle tissue maintenance, can become overactive with age. This leads to the accumulation of damaged proteins and muscle weakening. However, exercise can help restore balance by activating certain proteins that reduce levels of DEAF1, a key component that disrupts this process. This allows muscles to clear damaged proteins, repair themselves, and maintain strength and resilience.
“Exercise can reverse this process, correcting the imbalance. Physical activity activates certain proteins that reduce DEAF1 levels, restoring balance during growth. This allows aging muscles to clear damaged proteins, recover properly, and remain stronger and more resilient,” explained the study's lead author, Associate Professor of Cancer Research and Stem Cell Biology Tang Hong-Wen.
Research has also shown that DEAF1 levels affect muscle stem cells, which play a key role in tissue repair. When DEAF1 is imbalanced, muscle recovery slows. To confirm these hypotheses, the scientists conducted experiments on fruit flies and aged mice. In both models, increased DEAF1 levels led to rapid muscle weakness, while decreased levels resulted in restoration of protein balance and muscle strength.
Professor Patrick Tan, Senior Vice Dean of Research at Duke-NUS, stressed that this research explains at the molecular level why ageing muscles lose their ability to repair themselves and how exercise can restore this balance.
Science Daily reported on the ability of physical exercise to reduce depressive symptoms. Researchers emphasized that the reduction is almost as effective as psychotherapy. A comparable effect was also observed when comparing exercise with antidepressants, but the level of evidence was lower.