Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

RNA dysregulation impairs stress resilience in aged neurons

Aging is a primary risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. This study shows that key RNA pathways are disrupted in old neurons, including splicing and the stress response. Because of these changes, the aging brain has reduced resilience to new stress, which might predispose old neurons to disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: RNA dysregulation in aged neurons.

References

  1. Zbinden, A., Pérez-Berlanga, M., De Rossi, P. & Polymenidou, M. Phase separation and neurodegenerative diseases: a disturbance in the force. Dev. Cell 55, 45–68 (2020). This Star Wars-themed review covers the links between RBPs, the stress response and various neurodegenerative diseases.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Hou, Y. et al. Ageing as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. Nat. Rev. Neurol. 15, 565–581 (2019). This review covers the link between aging-linked changes in neuronal homeostasis and the onset of neurodegeneration.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Mertens, J. et al. Directly reprogrammed human neurons retain aging-associated transcriptomic signatures and reveal age-related nucleocytoplasmic defects. Cell Stem Cell 17, 705–718 (2015). This work demonstrates the efficacy of the transdifferentiation approach and shows aging-associated nuclear pore defects that lead to dysregulated nuclear import and export.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Arnold, E. S. et al. ALS-linked TDP-43 mutations produce aberrant RNA splicing and adult-onset motor neuron disease without aggregation or loss of nuclear TDP-43. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 110, E736–745 (2013). The authors demonstrate that TARDBP (TDP43) mutations can lead to splicing changes that negatively affect neuronal health.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Shelkovnikova, T. A. et al. Chronically stressed or stress-preconditioned neurons fail to maintain stress granule assembly. Cell Death Dis. 8, e2778 (2017). The authors show that low levels of preconditioned stress cause disruption of future stress responses.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Rhine, K. et al. Neuronal aging causes mislocalization of splicing proteins and unchecked cellular stress. Nat. Neurosci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-01952-z (2025).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

RNA dysregulation impairs stress resilience in aged neurons. Nat Neurosci 28, 1124–1125 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-01953-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Version of record:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-01953-y

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing