Oliver's mTOR Atlas Evidence Platform
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Chronic inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin modulates cognitive and non-cognitive components of behavior throughout lifespan in mice

Halloran J, Hussong SA, Burbank R, Podlutskaya N, Fischer KE, Galvan V · 2012 · Neuroscience · Atlas ID HAL2012

What this study shows

Asked whether the lifespan-extending dose of rapamycin harms or helps the aging BRAIN. Reassuringly, it enhanced learning and memory in young mice, prevented age-related cognitive decline in old ones, and even reduced anxiety and depression-like behavior - linked to boosted brain monoamines. Cognitive benefit, not cost.

Abstract

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Aging is, by far, the greatest risk factor for most neurodegenerative diseases. In non-diseased conditions, normal aging can also be associated with declines in cognitive function that significantly affect quality of life in the elderly. It was recently shown that inhibition of Mammalian TOR (mTOR) activity in mice by chronic rapamycin treatment extends lifespan, possibly by delaying aging {Harrison, 2009 #4}{Miller, 2011 #168}.

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At a glance

Evidence type A Animal model Marked A because it is an animal intervention or observation study measuring an organismal outcome (model: C57BL/6 mice (lifespan behavior study)); the code names the system studied -- animal work can be rigorous and still not be human data.
Study type4 - Animal Study
Model systemC57BL/6 mice (lifespan behavior study)
JournalNeuroscience
Year2012
Peer reviewedYes
Record last updated2026-08-22
SourceDOI 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.06.054 · PMID 22750207 · Free full text (PMC3454865)

Extracted findings

InterventionRapamycin (chronic)
TargetmTOR
ModelC57BL/6 mice (lifespan behavior study)
EffectChronic rapamycin modulates cognitive and non-cognitive behavior across the lifespan in mice
Dose2.24 mg rapamycin per kg body weight/day via rapamycin-supplemented chow (14 mg/kg food), ad libitum, for periods ranging from 8 to 40 weeks
Sample sizenot stated
Effect sizenot stated
Limitationsnot stated

In the Atlas

Related topics

LongevityCognitionRapamycinmTORmTORC1

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Cite this paper

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Halloran, J., Hussong, S. A., Burbank, R., Podlutskaya, N., Fischer, K. E., & Galvan, V. (2012). Chronic inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin modulates cognitive and non-cognitive components of behavior throughout lifespan in mice. Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.06.054

@article{HAL2012,
  author       = {Halloran, J. and Hussong, S. A. and Burbank, R. and Podlutskaya, N. and Fischer, K. E. and Galvan, V.},
  title        = {{Chronic inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin modulates cognitive and non-cognitive components of behavior throughout lifespan in mice}},
  journal      = {Neuroscience},
  year         = {2012},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.06.054},
  note         = {PMID: 22750207},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper. 

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record HAL2012) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HAL2012/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_HAL2012,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record HAL2012},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/HAL2012/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}