1 00:00:00,346 --> 00:00:01,473 Plasmalogens 2 00:00:01,625 --> 00:00:04,152 The body armor disappearing from your brain 3 00:00:04,546 --> 00:00:06,633 In the last episode about minimal surfaces 4 00:00:06,746 --> 00:00:08,712 I left a name at the end 5 00:00:08,906 --> 00:00:10,673 After that video went out 6 00:00:10,705 --> 00:00:12,304 A scientist who studies this molecule 7 00:00:12,305 --> 00:00:13,945 And has done so for over twenty years 8 00:00:13,945 --> 00:00:15,345 Sent me a stack of papers 9 00:00:15,346 --> 00:00:16,992 Along with her own experience 10 00:00:17,306 --> 00:00:19,193 She has a PhD in biophysics 11 00:00:19,225 --> 00:00:22,632 And spent eleven years as an assistant professor at NUS 12 00:00:22,786 --> 00:00:27,553 She now advises a plasmalogen research company in Wenzhou 13 00:00:27,786 --> 00:00:31,152 She coauthored that landmark review on cubic membranes 14 00:00:31,185 --> 00:00:34,673 And serves on the executive committee of the International Plasmalogen Society 15 00:00:34,848 --> 00:00:35,649 She told me 16 00:00:35,665 --> 00:00:38,273 Plasmalogens are the molecules she has pursued for over twenty years 17 00:00:38,985 --> 00:00:42,232 She calls them cubic membrane derived plasmalogens 18 00:00:43,269 --> 00:00:43,616 Hello 19 00:00:43,829 --> 00:00:44,296 Hi everyone 20 00:00:44,549 --> 00:00:45,555 I am Leo Wang 21 00:00:45,988 --> 00:00:50,195 Today we will explore this awkwardly named but potentially vital molecule 22 00:00:50,229 --> 00:00:51,356 Plasmalogens 23 00:00:51,789 --> 00:00:54,036 You may never have heard this word 24 00:00:54,189 --> 00:00:56,708 But among every five phospholipid molecules in your brain 25 00:00:56,708 --> 00:00:58,089 One may be a plasmalogen 26 00:00:58,603 --> 00:00:59,890 First let us see what it looks like 27 00:01:00,242 --> 00:01:02,689 Plasmalogens belong to the ether phospholipid family 28 00:01:03,043 --> 00:01:06,570 Their chemical backbone looks almost identical to ordinary phospholipids 29 00:01:06,722 --> 00:01:08,290 But there is one crucial difference 30 00:01:08,562 --> 00:01:10,609 At the first position of the glycerol backbone 31 00:01:10,762 --> 00:01:12,650 Ordinary phospholipids use an ester bond 32 00:01:12,883 --> 00:01:15,889 Plasmalogens use a vinyl ether bond 33 00:01:16,403 --> 00:01:17,850 Just one bond is different 34 00:01:18,163 --> 00:01:19,410 Yet that single bond 35 00:01:19,562 --> 00:01:21,690 Gives them their defining superpower 36 00:01:22,043 --> 00:01:22,930 Antioxidant protection 37 00:01:23,660 --> 00:01:24,168 Why 38 00:01:24,581 --> 00:01:28,147 Because vinyl ether bonds are naturally vulnerable to free radicals 39 00:01:28,380 --> 00:01:29,207 When free radicals arrive 40 00:01:29,540 --> 00:01:31,419 Plasmalogens rush in first 41 00:01:31,421 --> 00:01:34,100 Their vinyl ether bonds react with the radicals 42 00:01:34,100 --> 00:01:35,388 Sacrificing themselves 43 00:01:35,421 --> 00:01:38,187 To protect nearby lipids from oxidation 44 00:01:38,540 --> 00:01:41,707 Think of them as living body armor on the cell membrane 45 00:01:41,900 --> 00:01:43,460 They do not merely block the bullet 46 00:01:43,460 --> 00:01:46,427 They step forward and take the hit for their teammates 47 00:01:47,297 --> 00:01:49,505 But that is far from their only function 48 00:01:49,698 --> 00:01:53,945 Their second position often carries a polyunsaturated fatty acid 49 00:01:54,098 --> 00:01:56,345 Including DHA and EPA 50 00:01:56,618 --> 00:01:57,445 What are those 51 00:01:57,898 --> 00:02:01,305 Raw materials for anti inflammatory signaling molecules 52 00:02:01,538 --> 00:02:05,065 So plasmalogens play two roles at once 53 00:02:05,258 --> 00:02:06,896 An antioxidant guard 54 00:02:06,898 --> 00:02:08,744 And an anti inflammatory arsenal 55 00:02:08,937 --> 00:02:09,604 Beyond that 56 00:02:09,858 --> 00:02:12,345 They help regulate cholesterol metabolism 57 00:02:12,458 --> 00:02:15,424 They help assemble lipid rafts in cell membranes 58 00:02:15,618 --> 00:02:18,025 And support membrane fusion and vesicle transport 59 00:02:18,217 --> 00:02:20,954 They are the multitaskers of the membrane world 60 00:02:21,186 --> 00:02:22,654 So where are they found in the body 61 00:02:23,347 --> 00:02:25,473 The brain and heart are the two strongholds 62 00:02:25,787 --> 00:02:26,753 In the brain 63 00:02:26,827 --> 00:02:30,674 They make up nearly thirty percent of glycerophospholipids 64 00:02:31,026 --> 00:02:32,714 The proportion is even higher in myelin 65 00:02:32,906 --> 00:02:36,913 Seventy percent of ethanolamine glycerophospholipids are plasmalogens 66 00:02:37,347 --> 00:02:38,174 What is myelin 67 00:02:38,627 --> 00:02:41,394 It is the insulating layer around nerve fibers 68 00:02:41,627 --> 00:02:45,033 It lets neural signals travel fast without short circuiting 69 00:02:45,466 --> 00:02:47,154 The heart also has high concentrations 70 00:02:47,466 --> 00:02:49,434 And immune cells are rich in them too 71 00:02:49,667 --> 00:02:50,693 Do you see the pattern 72 00:02:51,227 --> 00:02:53,954 Wherever membrane activity is intense 73 00:02:54,026 --> 00:02:56,408 Plasmalogens gather in abundance 74 00:02:56,722 --> 00:02:56,908 All right 75 00:02:57,361 --> 00:02:58,729 Now for a key question 76 00:02:59,321 --> 00:03:00,708 How are they made 77 00:03:01,402 --> 00:03:05,049 Plasmalogen synthesis is a relay across two organelles 78 00:03:05,521 --> 00:03:08,289 The first two steps occur inside peroxisomes 79 00:03:08,402 --> 00:03:10,368 The later steps happen in the endoplasmic reticulum 80 00:03:10,521 --> 00:03:11,928 Seven reactions in total 81 00:03:12,321 --> 00:03:13,640 Peroxisomes 82 00:03:13,641 --> 00:03:15,489 You may rarely hear that name 83 00:03:15,882 --> 00:03:17,688 You know mitochondria are power plants 84 00:03:17,842 --> 00:03:20,769 But peroxisomes are the real chemical factories 85 00:03:21,162 --> 00:03:23,688 They break down very long chain fatty acids 86 00:03:23,882 --> 00:03:25,569 They clear reactive oxygen species 87 00:03:25,722 --> 00:03:28,128 And begin plasmalogen synthesis 88 00:03:28,682 --> 00:03:30,360 The body armor on your cell membranes 89 00:03:30,361 --> 00:03:33,703 Starts production in this chemical factory 90 00:03:34,096 --> 00:03:37,383 And this production line has an elegant feedback system 91 00:03:37,617 --> 00:03:40,184 When membrane plasmalogen levels are high enough 92 00:03:40,297 --> 00:03:44,024 Sensors in the endoplasmic reticulum signal back to peroxisomes 93 00:03:44,096 --> 00:03:45,624 Slowing production 94 00:03:45,976 --> 00:03:47,804 When plasmalogens are depleted 95 00:03:48,056 --> 00:03:49,184 The signal is released 96 00:03:49,256 --> 00:03:50,823 And synthesis speeds up again 97 00:03:51,216 --> 00:03:53,143 A self balancing loop 98 00:03:53,689 --> 00:03:54,756 So where does it go wrong 99 00:03:55,289 --> 00:03:56,456 With aging 100 00:03:56,728 --> 00:03:58,016 As we grow older 101 00:03:58,048 --> 00:04:00,775 Peroxisomal function gradually declines 102 00:04:01,089 --> 00:04:03,375 The enzyme that catalyzes the first step 103 00:04:03,448 --> 00:04:04,736 Becomes less active 104 00:04:05,008 --> 00:04:06,615 Raw materials run short 105 00:04:07,008 --> 00:04:09,535 And the whole production line loses capacity 106 00:04:10,008 --> 00:04:11,055 At the same time 107 00:04:11,168 --> 00:04:13,775 Aging cells produce more free radicals 108 00:04:13,849 --> 00:04:15,969 And consume more plasmalogens 109 00:04:16,163 --> 00:04:17,349 Do you see the situation 110 00:04:17,962 --> 00:04:19,429 The factory is aging on one side 111 00:04:19,963 --> 00:04:21,209 And capacity is falling 112 00:04:21,603 --> 00:04:23,309 The battlefield is expanding on the other 113 00:04:23,723 --> 00:04:24,970 And consumption is rising 114 00:04:25,362 --> 00:04:28,329 A downward spiral quietly begins 115 00:04:29,042 --> 00:04:30,230 As plasmalogens decline 116 00:04:30,562 --> 00:04:32,530 The membranes antioxidant defense collapses 117 00:04:33,002 --> 00:04:33,790 Once that defense collapses 118 00:04:34,083 --> 00:04:35,769 More lipids are oxidized 119 00:04:36,042 --> 00:04:38,290 And the membranes fine structure deteriorates 120 00:04:38,763 --> 00:04:41,249 We discussed this in the episode on minimal surfaces 121 00:04:41,523 --> 00:04:45,809 Plasmalogens and cubic membranes form a two way positive feedback loop 122 00:04:46,163 --> 00:04:47,550 Structure stabilizes the molecules 123 00:04:47,963 --> 00:04:49,410 And the molecules protect the structure 124 00:04:49,723 --> 00:04:50,790 When the molecules run low 125 00:04:51,042 --> 00:04:52,490 The structure can no longer hold 126 00:04:52,763 --> 00:04:54,689 Once this downward spiral starts 127 00:04:54,723 --> 00:04:56,970 The body struggles to stop it on its own 128 00:04:58,001 --> 00:04:59,649 This is not just theory 129 00:05:00,001 --> 00:05:01,969 It comes from real clinical observations 130 00:05:02,402 --> 00:05:04,888 Studies across several diseases 131 00:05:04,962 --> 00:05:08,049 Have found marked declines in plasmalogens 132 00:05:08,481 --> 00:05:10,409 And not only in Alzheimers disease 133 00:05:10,801 --> 00:05:13,089 Parkinsons disease and multiple sclerosis 134 00:05:13,241 --> 00:05:15,649 Even people with schizophrenia 135 00:05:15,681 --> 00:05:17,888 Tend to have lower plasmalogen levels 136 00:05:18,441 --> 00:05:20,729 These diseases seem completely different 137 00:05:20,881 --> 00:05:23,289 But they share one underlying feature 138 00:05:23,842 --> 00:05:25,089 The membrane is in trouble 139 00:05:25,941 --> 00:05:28,107 The clearest example is Alzheimers disease 140 00:05:28,381 --> 00:05:29,748 Multiple studies have found 141 00:05:29,780 --> 00:05:33,748 Significantly lower plasmalogens in the brain and blood 142 00:05:33,900 --> 00:05:37,748 With the decline linked to the severity of cognitive impairment 143 00:05:38,340 --> 00:05:42,748 The Rush Memory and Aging Project tracked data for years 144 00:05:42,861 --> 00:05:44,907 And found a striking pattern 145 00:05:45,220 --> 00:05:46,907 For an eighty five year old 146 00:05:46,941 --> 00:05:49,268 With high plasma plasmalogen levels 147 00:05:49,381 --> 00:05:51,587 The probability of dementia was only five percent 148 00:05:51,741 --> 00:05:53,087 For another person of the same age 149 00:05:53,421 --> 00:05:55,179 With low plasmalogen levels 150 00:05:55,181 --> 00:05:57,268 The probability rose to twenty eight percent 151 00:05:57,741 --> 00:05:58,527 At the same age 152 00:05:58,820 --> 00:06:01,125 The risk differed by more than fivefold 153 00:06:01,519 --> 00:06:03,485 A study in 2024 154 00:06:03,559 --> 00:06:06,086 Created an inducible knockout 155 00:06:06,199 --> 00:06:09,125 Mouse model for plasmalogen synthesis genes 156 00:06:09,598 --> 00:06:10,266 What does that mean 157 00:06:10,759 --> 00:06:12,646 It means taking adult mice 158 00:06:12,678 --> 00:06:14,478 And switching off their ability to make plasmalogens 159 00:06:14,478 --> 00:06:17,165 Suddenly on a chosen day 160 00:06:17,478 --> 00:06:19,237 After only four months 161 00:06:19,238 --> 00:06:24,165 The mice showed behavioral abnormalities and altered neural transmission 162 00:06:24,639 --> 00:06:29,086 This suggests the decline is not merely a byproduct of aging 163 00:06:29,439 --> 00:06:32,526 It may itself drive degenerative changes 164 00:06:33,188 --> 00:06:34,716 Then in 2022 165 00:06:34,789 --> 00:06:37,755 A study in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences 166 00:06:37,789 --> 00:06:38,635 Went even further 167 00:06:38,948 --> 00:06:41,587 Researchers gave sixteen month old mice 168 00:06:41,589 --> 00:06:44,075 Plasmalogen supplements for two months 169 00:06:44,428 --> 00:06:44,935 What happened 170 00:06:45,508 --> 00:06:47,395 Their cognitive performance improved 171 00:06:47,628 --> 00:06:50,276 Synapse loss in the hippocampus eased 172 00:06:50,508 --> 00:06:52,435 Neurogenesis was activated 173 00:06:52,628 --> 00:06:55,515 And microglial inflammation was suppressed 174 00:06:55,829 --> 00:06:59,515 Plasmalogens did three things in the same experiment 175 00:06:59,748 --> 00:07:00,176 Reduced inflammation 176 00:07:00,589 --> 00:07:01,536 Promoted synaptic regeneration 177 00:07:01,868 --> 00:07:03,068 And improved cognition 178 00:07:03,381 --> 00:07:05,948 But Alzheimers is only one side of the story 179 00:07:06,181 --> 00:07:08,268 A 2023 review she sent me 180 00:07:08,381 --> 00:07:11,068 Proposed a bolder hypothesis 181 00:07:11,381 --> 00:07:14,068 It appeared in Brain Research Bulletin 182 00:07:14,181 --> 00:07:18,268 And she coauthored it with Dr Tremblay at the University of Victoria 183 00:07:18,700 --> 00:07:19,667 The paper argued 184 00:07:19,780 --> 00:07:22,707 That long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome 185 00:07:22,741 --> 00:07:25,308 Two conditions that leave many people profoundly debilitated 186 00:07:25,421 --> 00:07:27,707 May share an underlying disease mechanism 187 00:07:28,020 --> 00:07:32,107 Chronic inflammation may disrupt glial cell function 188 00:07:32,181 --> 00:07:35,385 With plasmalogen deficiency playing a key role 189 00:07:35,537 --> 00:07:36,944 The proposed chain goes like this 190 00:07:37,458 --> 00:07:41,864 A viral infection or severe physiological stress triggers an acute immune response 191 00:07:42,217 --> 00:07:46,385 Microglia and astrocytes in the brain become overactivated 192 00:07:46,417 --> 00:07:47,905 And enter a pro inflammatory state 193 00:07:48,177 --> 00:07:49,297 Normally 194 00:07:49,297 --> 00:07:51,905 They settle down after a while 195 00:07:52,177 --> 00:07:54,705 But in some people the glial cells do not return 196 00:07:54,857 --> 00:07:57,825 They become a source of chronic low grade inflammation 197 00:07:58,177 --> 00:08:01,864 This persistent neuroinflammation consumes large amounts of plasmalogens 198 00:08:01,977 --> 00:08:05,585 While oxidative stress damages peroxisomes 199 00:08:05,617 --> 00:08:07,585 Further reducing synthetic capacity 200 00:08:07,777 --> 00:08:11,624 The result is the same downward spiral seen in aging 201 00:08:11,857 --> 00:08:13,016 Except this time 202 00:08:13,018 --> 00:08:15,970 A viral infection triggers it early 203 00:08:16,284 --> 00:08:16,751 Brain fog 204 00:08:17,083 --> 00:08:17,830 Extreme fatigue 205 00:08:18,164 --> 00:08:19,890 Symptoms that worsen after exertion 206 00:08:20,243 --> 00:08:24,010 The hallmark symptoms of long COVID and chronic fatigue syndrome 207 00:08:24,164 --> 00:08:26,082 May be distress signals from the brains membrane system 208 00:08:26,083 --> 00:08:27,751 After its plasmalogens are depleted 209 00:08:28,123 --> 00:08:29,691 A call for help 210 00:08:30,203 --> 00:08:31,311 So can we replenish them 211 00:08:31,724 --> 00:08:33,611 That is the question everyone cares about 212 00:08:34,867 --> 00:08:38,074 Professor Emeritus Takehiko Fujino of Kyushu University 213 00:08:38,348 --> 00:08:40,994 Pioneered plasmalogen supplementation 214 00:08:41,348 --> 00:08:43,954 His team was the first in the world 215 00:08:43,987 --> 00:08:47,435 To extract high purity plasmalogens from scallops 216 00:08:47,627 --> 00:08:49,675 And develop an oral supplement 217 00:08:49,987 --> 00:08:51,155 In 2017 218 00:08:51,228 --> 00:08:54,194 He led a landmark clinical trial 219 00:08:54,588 --> 00:08:55,175 Multicenter 220 00:08:55,627 --> 00:08:56,055 Randomized 221 00:08:56,507 --> 00:08:56,935 Double blind 222 00:08:57,348 --> 00:08:58,515 Placebo controlled 223 00:08:58,828 --> 00:08:59,854 Three hundred twenty eight people 224 00:09:00,188 --> 00:09:02,114 Between sixty and eighty five years old 225 00:09:02,147 --> 00:09:04,114 With mild Alzheimers disease 226 00:09:04,188 --> 00:09:06,915 Or mild cognitive impairment joined the trial 227 00:09:07,267 --> 00:09:11,275 They took one milligram of scallop derived plasmalogens daily 228 00:09:11,387 --> 00:09:12,795 For twenty four weeks 229 00:09:13,318 --> 00:09:14,104 The results were interesting 230 00:09:14,397 --> 00:09:15,484 And revealing 231 00:09:15,677 --> 00:09:16,505 Across the full dataset 232 00:09:16,877 --> 00:09:18,436 The treatment and placebo groups 233 00:09:18,438 --> 00:09:20,165 On the primary outcome measures 234 00:09:20,198 --> 00:09:22,405 Did not differ significantly 235 00:09:22,517 --> 00:09:23,844 But in subgroup analyses 236 00:09:23,877 --> 00:09:28,045 Women with mild Alzheimers and patients under seventy seven 237 00:09:28,078 --> 00:09:31,525 Showed significant memory improvement in the treatment group 238 00:09:31,797 --> 00:09:32,224 Meanwhile 239 00:09:32,478 --> 00:09:35,076 Plasma plasmalogen levels in the placebo group 240 00:09:35,078 --> 00:09:37,604 Declined noticeably over twenty four weeks 241 00:09:37,637 --> 00:09:39,364 While the treatment group maintained theirs 242 00:09:39,677 --> 00:09:40,505 As for safety 243 00:09:40,797 --> 00:09:43,354 No serious adverse events occurred 244 00:09:43,667 --> 00:09:44,575 What does this tell us 245 00:09:45,068 --> 00:09:46,134 Oral plasmalogens 246 00:09:46,468 --> 00:09:48,186 At least in some groups 247 00:09:48,187 --> 00:09:50,435 Showed a signal of cognitive benefit 248 00:09:50,748 --> 00:09:52,795 But the evidence is not yet strong enough 249 00:09:52,868 --> 00:09:54,834 To support a definitive conclusion 250 00:09:55,307 --> 00:09:56,906 A 2025 review published in 251 00:09:56,907 --> 00:09:59,507 The FASEB Journal 252 00:09:59,507 --> 00:10:00,915 Pointed out 253 00:10:01,108 --> 00:10:03,714 That low doses and limited bioavailability 254 00:10:03,787 --> 00:10:05,974 May be the main factors limiting clinical effects 255 00:10:06,147 --> 00:10:07,155 The key bottlenecks 256 00:10:07,547 --> 00:10:09,267 A daily dose of one milligram 257 00:10:09,267 --> 00:10:12,594 Is tiny compared with the brains enormous plasmalogen pool 258 00:10:12,627 --> 00:10:14,276 It may simply be too little 259 00:10:14,510 --> 00:10:17,396 In a public comment from 2023 260 00:10:17,429 --> 00:10:19,197 She shared her own choice 261 00:10:19,510 --> 00:10:23,756 She and her mother had used Professor Fujinos product for seven to eight years 262 00:10:23,990 --> 00:10:27,149 She doubled the dose when she had COVID 263 00:10:27,150 --> 00:10:28,236 Her symptoms were mild 264 00:10:28,270 --> 00:10:28,776 And recovery was quick 265 00:10:29,150 --> 00:10:31,396 With no long COVID symptoms 266 00:10:31,630 --> 00:10:33,789 A family member of hers with autism 267 00:10:33,789 --> 00:10:35,228 Also took it for six months 268 00:10:35,230 --> 00:10:36,837 And showed noticeable improvement 269 00:10:37,110 --> 00:10:39,557 One thing she said stayed with me 270 00:10:39,949 --> 00:10:40,297 She said 271 00:10:40,789 --> 00:10:42,337 Plasmalogens are not a drug 272 00:10:42,549 --> 00:10:43,549 They are a nutrient 273 00:10:43,549 --> 00:10:43,977 Safe 274 00:10:44,189 --> 00:10:45,197 And effective 275 00:10:45,549 --> 00:10:48,337 People always make things too complicated 276 00:10:48,610 --> 00:10:49,597 I need to be clear 277 00:10:49,970 --> 00:10:51,489 These are personal experiences 278 00:10:51,490 --> 00:10:52,856 Not clinical evidence 279 00:10:52,970 --> 00:10:55,496 A single case cannot establish causation 280 00:10:55,850 --> 00:10:57,616 But she is not an ordinary consumer 281 00:10:57,730 --> 00:11:00,537 She has researched this field for twenty years 282 00:11:00,649 --> 00:11:04,496 And published over thirty papers on plasmalogens and cubic membranes 283 00:11:04,850 --> 00:11:05,876 Her personal choice 284 00:11:06,169 --> 00:11:08,138 Is at least worth considering seriously 285 00:11:08,451 --> 00:11:09,557 And did you notice 286 00:11:10,171 --> 00:11:13,817 From Professor Fujinos trial to her own experience 287 00:11:13,890 --> 00:11:15,337 There is one shared signal 288 00:11:15,850 --> 00:11:18,697 Plasmalogen supplementation appears to have a strong safety profile 289 00:11:19,091 --> 00:11:20,597 A double blind trial with over three hundred participants 290 00:11:20,931 --> 00:11:22,018 Twenty four weeks 291 00:11:22,171 --> 00:11:23,778 And no serious adverse events 292 00:11:24,250 --> 00:11:25,658 That is not entirely surprising 293 00:11:26,091 --> 00:11:29,457 Plasmalogens are molecules already found naturally in your body 294 00:11:29,770 --> 00:11:32,378 You are not adding something foreign 295 00:11:32,650 --> 00:11:35,097 You are restoring something that is being lost 296 00:11:35,411 --> 00:11:37,498 Finally I want to return to a bigger question 297 00:11:37,891 --> 00:11:40,338 We may need to rethink brain aging 298 00:11:40,450 --> 00:11:42,657 It may not be a problem with one genetic mutation 299 00:11:42,850 --> 00:11:45,137 Or one misfolded protein 300 00:11:45,291 --> 00:11:48,218 But a slow collapse of the container where chemical reactions occur 301 00:11:48,610 --> 00:11:51,578 When your cell membranes lose plasmalogen protection 302 00:11:51,730 --> 00:11:55,137 All the biochemical processes that once worked begin to distort 303 00:11:55,370 --> 00:11:56,817 The software is not the problem 304 00:11:56,891 --> 00:11:59,667 The physical form of the hardware can no longer hold 305 00:11:59,899 --> 00:12:02,226 Close your eyes and feel this for a moment 306 00:12:02,499 --> 00:12:05,027 Your brain is thinking about this sentence right now 307 00:12:05,379 --> 00:12:07,427 That thought can happen 308 00:12:07,499 --> 00:12:10,547 Because hundreds of billions of synapses are firing at once 309 00:12:10,659 --> 00:12:14,027 And every firing event requires vesicles to cross cell membranes 310 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:16,946 The state of the membrane determines signal quality 311 00:12:17,180 --> 00:12:19,986 If your mind feels less sharp than when you were young 312 00:12:20,019 --> 00:12:21,579 Maybe you have not become less intelligent 313 00:12:21,580 --> 00:12:23,544 Maybe your membranes have become fragile 314 00:12:23,817 --> 00:12:27,144 Last time we understood this through geometry 315 00:12:27,697 --> 00:12:30,585 Minimal surfaces give membranes an optimal form 316 00:12:31,138 --> 00:12:34,505 This time we understand the same thing through molecules 317 00:12:34,857 --> 00:12:37,825 Plasmalogens provide chemical protection 318 00:12:38,418 --> 00:12:39,524 Structure and molecules 319 00:12:39,898 --> 00:12:41,304 Geometry and chemistry 320 00:12:41,337 --> 00:12:43,144 They are not two separate stories 321 00:12:43,577 --> 00:12:45,781 They are two sides of the same story 322 00:12:46,293 --> 00:12:47,840 Could there be a third side 323 00:12:48,373 --> 00:12:51,561 Can synthetic biology produce plasmalogens at scale 324 00:12:52,013 --> 00:12:55,120 Can nanoparticles improve their bioavailability 325 00:12:55,614 --> 00:12:58,181 Can precise lipidomics testing 326 00:12:58,214 --> 00:13:00,253 Measure each persons level of deficiency 327 00:13:00,253 --> 00:13:01,281 And guide targeted supplementation 328 00:13:01,893 --> 00:13:04,580 Researchers are actively exploring all these questions 329 00:13:05,149 --> 00:13:06,956 Maybe one day during a checkup 330 00:13:07,029 --> 00:13:08,589 Alongside blood sugar and blood lipids 331 00:13:08,590 --> 00:13:09,836 You will test one more thing 332 00:13:10,310 --> 00:13:11,997 Your plasmalogen level 333 00:13:12,487 --> 00:13:14,454 Do you think your brain is aging 334 00:13:14,568 --> 00:13:15,635 Or falling into disrepair 335 00:13:16,247 --> 00:13:17,355 If the answer is disrepair 336 00:13:17,768 --> 00:13:19,135 Then the material for repairing it 337 00:13:19,207 --> 00:13:21,547 May be hiding inside a scallop 338 00:13:21,901 --> 00:13:22,568 I am Leo Wang 339 00:13:22,741 --> 00:13:23,787 See you next time