A Popular Anti-Aging Drug Combo Triggers Severe Brain Damage in Mice
Learn how a popular anti-aging drug combination damaged myelin in mice, and why the findings could help researchers better understand multiple sclerosis.
Written by Stephanie Edwards
Jun 4, 2026, 4:15 PM| 3 min read
(Image Credit: Vink Fan/Shutterstock)
From skincare to supplements, many people attempt to reverse the effects of aging as they get older. Researchers are also working on effective ways to turn back the aging clock, developing countless treatments and drugs in an attempt to stop Father Time.
One of the drug combinations widely studied for its potential to slow aging may come with an alarming downside. New research suggests the pairing of dasatinib and quercetin — commonly known as D+Q — can strip away protective insulation in the brain and even cause part of a critical brain structure to disappear in mice.
Published in PNAS, the findings raise new questions about the growing popularity of these compounds in longevity research and among some off-label users. At the same time, researchers say the work could open an unexpected window into understanding multiple sclerosis (MS) and how damaged brain cells might someday be repaired.
“When you administer this cocktail to an animal, young or old, the myelin is damaged, which makes it disappear. Even worse in the young animals,” said immunologist Stephen Crocker in a press release.
Anti-Aging Drugs Trigger Major Brain Changes
D+Q has become popular in anti-aging research because it helps remove senescent cells — aged cells that contribute to chronic inflammation and many age-related conditions. But very little research has focused on what these drugs might do inside the brain.
Researchers discovered that mice treated with D+Q experienced a dramatic loss of myelin surrounding their nerve cells. The effects were even more severe in younger mice. Myelin, the fatty coating that wraps around nerve fibers, acts like insulation around electrical wires. Without it, nerve signals become disrupted, leading to symptoms that can include numbness, pain, mobility problems, and cognitive difficulties.
When the research team examined the tissue more closely, they found that the cells responsible for producing myelin had not died, but instead appeared to revert to a more immature state.
“We suspect the drugs are choking off energy the cells need, and the cells respond by reducing complexity, reverting to a younger state, but less functional,” explained Crocker.
Additionally, researchers found that the corpus callosum — a large structure that connects different regions of the brain — essentially disappeared after treatment. They have occasionally observed similar damage in cancer patients experiencing so-called “chemo brain.”
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