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.
-
A paradigm shift: from precision medicine to precision health in neurodegenerative conditions and aging
Journal of Precision Health Open Access 03 January 2026
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$32.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to the full article PDF.
USD 39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
About this article
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
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-01953-y
This article is cited by
-
A paradigm shift: from precision medicine to precision health in neurodegenerative conditions and aging
Journal of Precision Health (2026)