Surprising study shows reduced neuronal activity extends life

The surprising findings from a new study suggest that a brain brimming with neuronal activity could mean a shorter life span. The lead researcher even called the results “counterintuitive,” although previous research had hinted that excessive brain activity could be a risk factor for dementia. The reason could be a regulatory gene that seems to quiet nerve activity in those who live longer. It took two years for the study to be published, mainly because reviewers kept asking for more evidence that the findings held true across different organisms. And that’s what the researchers delivered: data from humans, mice, and the model organism C. elegans (a roundworm) to persuade the skeptics that reduced neuronal activity could be the key to longer life.