When it comes to aging, it hits hard for everyone — men, women, and fruit flies. A new study from researchers in California explored how these tiny insects, with a lifespan of just two months, can help scientists understand the cognitive decline associated with aging.

Researchers found that a protein called filamentous actin, or F-actin, builds up in the brains of aging fruit flies, disrupting a crucial cellular cleanup process. This glitch in the system leads to an accumulation of cellular waste, impairing brain function and contributing to cognitive decline. By tweaking specific genes in the flies’ neurons, scientists were able to prevent F-actin buildup. That boosted cellular recycling, extending the flies’ healthy lifespan by about 30% … which, granted, for a critter who lives about sixty days, isn’t much.

Interestingly, the researchers noted that fruit flies on a restricted diet not only lived longer, but also had less F-actin in their brains. Similarly, when treated with a drug known to promote longevity, there was a noticeable reduction in F-actin. These findings point to a significant link: F-actin appears to interfere with the body’s cellular garbage disposal system, leading to the decline of brain health.

Like most studies in these tiny insects, we have a ways to go before we can apply their findings to humans — although it adds yet another avenue for future research on cognitive health as we grow older.

And, on the upside: While we may have no cure, our slide into old age (and all of its associated problems and annoyances) still happens at a slower pace than that of a fruit fly.