{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T06:02:05Z","timestamp":1789970525813,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":56,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789948800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Aging Neurosci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Brain ageing is a complex physiological process characterised by progressive structural and functional changes that often result in cognitive decline and reduced quality of life in the elderly. These changes are driven by multiple mechanisms, including synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and impaired cellular homeostasis. Neuropeptides have emerged as important regulators of these processes. Among them, neuropeptide Y (NPY) has gained attention for its potential role in mitigating age-related brain dysfunction. However, the extent to which NPY contributes to brain ageing remains unclear. This scoping review aims to map the available evidence on the role of NPY in brain ageing, focusing on the effect of NPY on autophagy, a key mechanism involved in brain ageing. Scientific studies published between 2014 and 2026 relevant to the research topic were systematically screened and reviewed. Following a rigorous selection process, four articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included for analysis. The findings indicate that NPY levels decline in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in a progeroid mouse model, where restoring NPY delays several ageing phenotypes. In addition, NPY appears to mitigate brain ageing by promoting autophagy in the hypothalamus and cerebral cortex, an effect requiring both suppression of PI3K\/AKT\/mTOR signalling and activation of ERK1\/2-MAPK. These insights may pave the way for future research into therapeutic strategies targeting NPY to combat age-related cognitive deficits and neurodegenerative diseases. However, further investigation is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of NPY action, including the roles of its various receptors and interactions with other neuropeptides.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fnagi.2026.1888512","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T05:35:28Z","timestamp":1789968928000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Neuropeptide Y and brain ageing: an updated scoping review on the role of autophagy"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Suang Yao","family":"Cheah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia","place":["Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yatinesh","family":"Kumari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia","place":["Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nur Fatin Nabilah","family":"Mohd Sahardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Secretariat of Research and Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia","place":["Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Siti Liyana","family":"Saud Gany","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia","place":["Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nur Atiqah Haizum","family":"Abdullah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia","place":["Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Suzana","family":"Makpol","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia","place":["Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Faizul","family":"Jaafar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia","place":["Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia"]},{"name":"Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia","place":["Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tem.2006.12.001","article-title":"Estrogen receptors in neuropeptide Y neurons: at the crossroads of feeding and reproduction","volume":"18","author":"Acosta-Martinez","year":"2007","journal-title":"Trends Endocrinol Metab."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3706","DOI":"10.1158\/0008-5472.CAN-05-2744","article-title":"Estrogen up-regulates neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor expression in a human breast cancer cell line","volume":"66","author":"Amlal","year":"2006","journal-title":"Cancer Res."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"526","DOI":"10.3390\/antiox12020526","article-title":"Selenium protects mouse hypothalamic cells from glucocorticoid-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress vulnerability and insulin signaling impairment","volume":"12","author":"An","year":"2023","journal-title":"Antioxidants"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1080\/1364557032000119616","article-title":"Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework","volume":"8","author":"Arksey","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int. 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