Could bees reveal the key to dementia?

A Norwegian researcher has succeeded in reversing the aging process in
bees brains.

ScienceDaily (Mar. 23, 2011) — Norwegian researcher Gro Amdam has succeeded in reversing the aging process in the bee brain -- findings which she believes may bring hope to people with dementia.

"No one really believes that the fountain of youth exists," says Professor Amdam. "We accept that as we age, our health and mental acuity will decline. But recent findings indicate that aging doesn't have to be synonymous with going downhill."

Professor Amdam's research subjects are bees, the workings of whose brain cells are surprisingly similar to ours, she explains. So when she finds the secrets behind what makes a bee brain tick, the knowledge may well apply to humans, too.