Neuronal mTORC1 knockdown in mice: growth, metabolism and survival
In mice, reducing neuronal mTOR or Raptor during development lowered growth, body weight, fat mass, blood glucose and exercise capacity; effects on survival differed between the two targets. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Rapamycin reduces mTOR activity and extends lifespan and healthspan in many species, but the mechanisms are unknown. [1]
Reducing neuronal mTOR during development did not significantly affect embryonic survival but significantly increased adult mortality. [1]
Reducing neuronal Raptor or mTOR during development significantly decreased growth rates, body weight, fat mass, blood glucose and exercise capacity. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Preclinical mouse study (abstract)
- Population / context
- Mice with neuronal ablation or reduced expression of Raptor or mTOR during development.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- May 12, 2026
Mouse neurons: mTOR versus Raptor knockdown
The abstract notes that rapamycin, which reduces mTOR activity, extends lifespan and healthspan in many species, but how mTOR in different cell types does this is unknown. mTOR forms two complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2; Raptor is needed to assemble mTORC1, the main target of rapamycin. To study mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling during development, the researchers ablated or reduced Raptor or mTOR in mouse neurons.
Supporting source [1]
Survival effects differed for mTOR and Raptor
Reducing mTOR only in neurons during development had no significant effect on embryonic survival but significantly increased adult mortality. In contrast, reducing Raptor in neurons during development lowered embryonic viability but did not appear to affect adult survival, which the authors suggest may mean that reducing mTORC1 confers a survival advantage after birth.
Supporting source [1]
Lower growth, fat mass, glucose and exercise capacity
Reducing either Raptor or mTOR during development significantly decreased growth rates, body weight, fat mass, resting and fasting blood glucose, and exercise capacity. The authors conclude that neuronal mTORC1 is important for determining body size during development and for fat mass, metabolic states and exercise capacity in adulthood. These are findings in mice; the abstract does not report whether these changes extend lifespan or healthspan in humans.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. Findings come from mice with neuronal Raptor or mTOR reduced during development; the abstract does not report human outcomes, and the survival observations are described as differing between the two targets.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Hussong SA, Roberts RB, Halloran JJ, Hernandez SF, Van Skike CE, Dorigatti AO, DeRosa N, Walsh ME, Soto VY, Pulliam DA, Van Remmen H, Austad SN, Galvan V. · europepmc.org · May 12, 2026