Calorie restriction has been shown to dramatically extend lifespan in a range of species. Beyond longevity, calorie restriction is also reported to improve cognitive function, ameliorate neurodegeneration and peripheral nerve damage, reduce cancer incidence, and is commonly used to increase motivation in studies of behaviour. The mouse has been the most common species for these experiments and whilst efforts are ongoing to dem...

Tau protein is of primary importance for neuronal homeostasis and when hyperphosphorylated (PP-Tau), it tends to aggregate in neurofibrillary tangles, as is the case with tauopathies, a class of neurodegenerative disorders. Reversible PP-Tau accumulation occurs in the brain of hibernating rodents and it was recently observed in rats (a non-hibernator) during synthetic torpor (ST), a pharmacological-induced torpor-like conditio...