Mice given extracts from a marine animal known as a sea squirt showed a reversal of certain age-related effects, according to a scientific study in China. The active substance in these extracts is called plasmalogens — a type of lipid (fat) found in cells of many human organs, including the brain, kidneys, muscles, and lungs — which guard against DNA damage.

Researchers gave mice 300-500 times more plasmalogens than found in a chicken or scallop serving. They tested the animals’ memory and several brain functions, and after two months, they showed higher numbers of neural stem cells and the number of synaptic connections between neurons.