Longevity & AgingHow Brain Iron Shapes Development, Aging, and Neurodegeneration
Iron is indispensable for brain function, supporting oxygen transport, energy metabolism, myelination, and neurotransmitter synthesis. During the critical first 1,000 days of life, iron deficiency impairs neuronal maturation, dendrite development, and myelination, with lasting cognitive consequences. In aging, iron selectively accumulates in specific brain regions, triggering redox imbalance, mitochondrial dysfunction, and lipid peroxidation that accelerate cellular decline. Excess brain iron is increasingly recognized as a key driver of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Friedreich's ataxia, where it catalyzes reactive oxygen species formation and toxic protein aggregation. Iron-sensitive MRI technologies offer promising tools for early detection of pathological iron accumulation, and iron chelation therapies represent a potential intervention strategy.
