Accumulating evidence suggests that neuropeptide Y (NPY) has a role in aging and lifespan determination. In this review, we critically discuss age-related changes in NPY levels in the brain, together with recent findings concerning the contribution of NPY to, and impact on, six hallmarks of aging, specifically: loss of proteostasis, stem cell exhaustion, altered intercellular communication, deregulated nutrient sensing, cellular senescence, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Understanding how NPY contributes to, and counteracts, these hallmarks of aging will open new avenues of research on limiting damage related to aging.
Keywords: autophagy; caloric restriction; hallmarks of aging; inflammation; neuropeptide Y; senescence; stem cells.
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