Longevity & Aging

Brain Sugar Enzyme Trehalase Emerges as a Key Player in Aging and Neurodegeneration

Researchers have identified for the first time that trehalase — an enzyme known for breaking down trehalose ('mushroom sugar') in the gut — is also expressed in the human brain. Analyzing post-mortem RNA sequencing data from two independent datasets, they found trehalase expression significantly decreases with age and in multiple sclerosis patients. Reduced trehalase correlated with shifts in gene networks governing autophagy, mitophagy, and neurodegeneration. Expression patterns also suggested cell-type specificity, with positive links to oligodendrocytes and a strong association with sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a well-established neuroprotective protein. The findings position trehalose and its regulating enzyme as a potentially important axis in brain health and age-related neurological decline.