Definitions of aging differ between biologists and behavioral scientists. Biologists regard aging as reflecting the sum of multiple and typical biological decrements occurring after sexual maturation; behavioral scientists view it as reflecting regular and expected changes occurring in genetically representative organisms advancing through the life cycle under normal environmental conditions. In humans, aging is associated with degenerative changes in the skin, bones, heart, blood vessels, lungs, nerves, and other organs and tissues. The branch of medicine that deals with the disorders of aging in humans is geriatrics.
New evidence may explain why it is that we lose not only our youthful looks, but also our youthful pattern of gene activity with age. – Researchers have discovered that DNA damage decreases a cell’s ability to regulate which genes are turned on and off in particular settings. This mechanism, which applies both to fungus and to us, might represent a universal culprit for aging.
Marijuana could help reduce memory loss in old age and fight Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, revealed by researchers. – The more research they do, the more evidence Ohio State University scientists find that specific elements of marijuana can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation there and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells.
Vigorous exercise (running) at middle and older ages is associated with reduced disability in later life and a notable survival advantage. – Regular running slows the effects of aging, according to a new study from Stanford University School of Medicine that has tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years. Elderly runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half as likely as aging nonrunners to die early deaths, the research found.
Scientists have found that the compound resveratrol slows age-related deterioration and functional decline, but does not increase longevity. – Large doses of a red wine ingredient can ward off many of the vagaries of aging in mice who begin taking it at midlife, according to a new report published online on July 3rd in Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication. Those health improvements of the chemical known as resveratrol-including cardiovascular benefits, greater motor coordination, reduced cataracts and better bone density-come without necessarily extending the animals’ lifespan.
University of Queensland research is turning conventional wisdom on its head when it comes to grumpy old men and women. UQ research finds aging is satisfying. – The elderly are better at having fun and socially satisfied, according to a new study which shows they are as happy as young people despite spending more time alone each day.
This report describes the identification of conserved aging-related genes in simple model organisms that may lead to the characterization of similar genes playing a role in human aging and age-associated diseases. – A study published online in Genome Research provides new insight into the evolutionary conservation of the genes and pathways associated with aging. This report describes the identification of conserved aging-related genes in simple model organisms that may lead to the characterization of similar genes playing a role in human aging and age-associated diseases.
Mutations in genes governing an important cell-signaling pathway influence human longevity, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found. – Mutations in genes governing an important cell-signaling pathway influence human longevity, scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found. Their research is described in the March 4 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
People who reliably took the ginkgo biloba supplement had a 68 percent lower risk of developing mild memory problems. – Taking the supplement ginkgo biloba had no clear-cut benefit on the risk of developing memory problems, according to a study published in the February 27, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Good news on gray matter: Memory loss and other cognitive impairment becoming less common in older Americans, U-M study finds; Better education, finances & cardiovascular care may be boosting brain health. – It appears that memory loss and thinking problems are becoming less common among older Americans. A new study shows a downward trend in the rate of “cognitive impairment” – the umbrella term for everything from significant memory loss to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – among people aged 70 and older.
A sedentary lifestyle (in addition to smoking, high body mass index, and low socioeconomic status) has an effect on LTL and may accelerate the aging process. This provides a powerful message that could be used by clinicians to promote the potentially antiaging effect of regular exercise. – Physical inactivity is an important risk factor for many aging-related diseases. Individuals who are physically active during their leisure time appear to be biologically younger than those with sedentary lifestyles, according to a report in the January 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Cognitive decline in aging may be linked to disruption of communication between different regions of the brain.
– A team of Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers has shown that normal aging disrupts communication between different regions of the brain. The new research, which used advanced medical imaging techniques to look at the brain function of 93 healthy individuals from 18 to 93 years old, shows that this decline happens even in the absence of serious pathologies like Alzheimer’s disease.
The blockage of a single gene, called NF-?B, can reverse aging in the mammalian skin. This finding sets the stage for the development of future genetic age-intervention therapies.
– In the December 15th cover story of G&D, a research team led by Dr. Howard Chang (Stanford University School of Medicine) reports that the blockage of a single gene, called NF-?B, can reverse aging in the mammalian skin. This finding sets the stage for the development of future genetic age-intervention therapies.
