Investigating the Causal Links between the Aging Process and Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis

As global societies age, the prevalence of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, is rapidly increasing, intensifying the need to understand the mechanisms of aging and their contribution to these conditions. Consequently, the focus of aging research has shifted from the traditional concept of chronological age to a more nuanced understanding of biological age. This has spurred active investigation into robust biomarkers, including cellular senescence. However, the application of classical senescence markers to the brain presents a substantial challenge, as their validity in post-mitotic cells, such as neurons, remains unclear. In this review, we highlight the limitations of the current metrics for cellular senescence as indicators of biological aging, and propose a path forward focused on identifying and modeling cell-type-specific aging markers within the brain.