Overview

How do experiences in adolescence shape our brains in old age?
That is the central question driving SI-ADO-AGEING — a European research project that investigates how social isolation during adolescence can increase the risk of cognitive decline later in life.

Adolescence is a time of intense brain development. It’s when the brain refines circuits related to learning, memory, emotion, and social behavior. But this period is also marked by vulnerability: chronic stress, particularly social stress, can alter the biological systems that regulate the brain’s plasticity and stress response. These changes may leave a long-lasting molecular and physiological imprint, increasing susceptibility to age-related disorders decades later.

SI-ADO-AGEING unites a multidisciplinary international consortium spanning academic, clinical, and industry sectors to tackle this complex challenge. The project integrates cutting-edge expertise in neuroscience, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, behavioral science, and translational therapeutics. By investigating how early-life social stress disrupts brain circuits, alters gene expression, impairs metabolic integrity, and shapes long-term cognitive trajectories, the consortium aims to identify robust biomarkers and develop targeted strategies to mitigate vulnerability and promote resilience in cognitive ageing.

Beyond understanding risk, the project also seeks to identify therapeutic strategies. Using experimental models and advanced multiscale approaches such as large-scale electrophysiology, transcriptomics, and mitochondrial profiling, the consortium will evaluate whether certain interventions—like nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) supplementation or selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators—can restore healthy brain function in later life.

 Funded by ERA4Health initiative, SI-ADO-AGEING directly aligns with the European mission to promote healthy ageing, build preventive strategies, and understand how social and environmental factors influence brain health across the lifespan.