Feature Channels: Aging

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While the search continues for the Fountain of Youth, researchers may have found the body’s “fountain of aging”: the brain region known as the hypothalamus. For the first time, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University report that the hypothalamus of mice controls aging throughout the body. Their discovery of a specific age-related signaling pathway opens up new strategies for combating diseases of old age and extending lifespan. The paper was published today in the online edition of Nature.

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Elderly patients who receive anesthesia are no more likely to develop long-term dementia or Alzheimer’s disease than other seniors, according to new Mayo Clinic research. The study analyzed thousands of patients using the Rochester Epidemiology Project -- which allows researchers access to medical records of nearly all residents of Olmsted County, Minn. -- and found that receiving general anesthesia for procedures after age 45 is not a risk factor for developing dementia. The findings were published Wednesday, May 1, online in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

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People born during 1945 through 1965 are five times more likely than other adults to be infected with hepatitis C. If you were born during these years, talk to your doctor about getting tested.

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Research Identifies Potential Therapeutic Targets for Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (LOAD) By Revealing a Network of Genes Involved in the Inflammatory Response.

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Financial exploitation, particularly thefts and scams, are increasing at an alarming rate, particularly in older adults. This study examined this population and their vulnerability for experiencing fraud.

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Declining levels of the protein BubR1 occur when both people and animals age, and contribute to cell senescence or deterioration, weight loss, muscle wasting and cataracts.

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Older adults who are subject to elder abuse, neglect and exploitation face a greater risk of being hospitalized than other seniors, according to the results of a study published in the April 8 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

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A randomized controlled trial finds that 12 weeks of physical plus mental activity in inactive older adults with cognitive complaints was associated with significant improvement in cognitive function but there was no difference between intervention and control groups, according to a report published Online First by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

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University of Montreal researchers have discovered a novel molecular mechanism that can potentially slows the aging process and may prevent the progression of some cancers.

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Aging expert M.C. Terry Hokenstad, PhD, social work professor in aging from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, calls his research findings, “lessons from abroad”—best practices for improving the quality of life for a graying world population.

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Innovative medical records software developed by Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center on Aging Research will provide more personalized health care for older adults.

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The contrasting nature of facial features is one of the signals that people unconsciously use to decipher how old someone looks, says Psychology Prof. Richard Russell, who has been collaborating with researchers from CE.R.I.E.S. (Epidermal and Sensory Research and Investigation Center), a department of Chanel Research and Technology dedicated to skin related issues and facial appearance.

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Polyphenols and resistant starch could be used to help people live longer by changing the microbiome, the microbes that live in our gut.

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UCLA scientists have discovered a new genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease by screening people's DNA and then using an advanced type of scan to visualize their brains' connections.

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A UC San Francisco team has developed a tool that can help determine – and perhaps influence – senior citizens’ 10-year survivability rates.

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Studies have shown that women are more likely than men to develop acne as an adult. Like many skin conditions, acne can have a significant impact on a person’s overall quality of life – affecting relationships, work performance and self-esteem. Fortunately, there are a number of proven therapies to control adult acne and many also provide some help with the early signs of aging that many adult women face.

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A group of researchers used a statistical technique to identify the prevalence of cognitive impairment in centenarians and try to understand the cognitive changes that are part of extreme aging.

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Older people who have low expectations for a satisfying future may be more likely to live longer, healthier lives than those who see brighter days ahead, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

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Scientists have known for nearly a century that cold-blooded animals, such as worms, flies and fish all live longer in cold environments, but have not known exactly why.

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People with a more resilient personality profile are more likely to have greater aerobic capacity, which may contribute to better health and longevity.

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A new report published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, reveals that self-reported feelings of well-being — that is, overall happiness and satisfaction with life — tend to increase with age, but that a person’s overall level of well-being depends on when he or she was born.

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Researchers found that epigenetic regulation is key to distinguishing one caste of carpenter ants, the “majors”, as brawny Amazons of the colony, compared to the “minors”, their smaller, brainier sisters. The two castes have the same genes, but strikingly distinct behaviors and shape.

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The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple in the next 40 years, according to a new study published in the February 6, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Despite having a reputation of being the healthiest and most active generation, baby boomers are actually in worse overall health than their parents, according to a new study by researchers at the West Virginia University School of Medicine.

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University of Virginia Darden School of Business research shows new, more effective ways to plan for retirement.

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Older adults can improve their decision making and working memory simply by putting on a happy face, a new study suggests.

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In a study published in the January 18 issue of Cell, researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new method to visualize aging and tumor growth in mice using a gene closely linked to these processes.

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Older adults who have suffered from aphasia for a long time can nevertheless improve their language function and maintain these improvements in the long term, according to a study by Dr. Ana Inés Ansaldo, PhD, a researcher at the Research Centre of the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (University Geriatrics Institute of Montreal) and a professor in the School of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at the Faculty of Medicine of Université de Montréal. The study was published in Brain and Language.

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Meika Loe, Associate professor of Sociology at Colgate University is the author of Aging our Way, Lessons for Living From 85 and Beyond. The book deals with many factors about aging, including independence and dependance. She is an expert source on anything aging. She is used to talking on the radio or TV as well as via e-mail.

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People taking the blood pressure drugs called beta blockers may be less likely to have changes in the brain that can be signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 65th Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16 to 23, 2013.

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A new study finds that certain changes in blood vessels in the eye’s retina can be an early warning that a person is at increased risk for glaucoma, an eye disease that slowly robs people of their peripheral vision. Using diagnostic photos and other data from the Australian Blue Mountains Eye Study, the researchers showed that patients who had abnormally narrow retinal arteries when the study began were also those who were most likely to have glaucoma at its 10-year end point. If confirmed by future research, this finding could give ophthalmologists a new way to identify and treat those who are most vulnerable to vision loss from glaucoma. The study was recently published online by Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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Promising target for aging disorders and cancer.

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The 60+ age group globally is expected to climb from 605 million in the year 2000 to around 2 billion people by the year 2050. In addition, the number of people worldwide age 80+ is expected to quadruple to almost 400 million (Leatherhead Food Research, 2012). These older consumers want to live active, healthy lives as they age. As they are becoming increasingly aware of food’s impact on health and wellness, more will begin to look at food to solve or prevent health issues.

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A new study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science found that between 40 to 50 percent of older adults with visually impairing eye disease limit their activities due to a fear of falling. Vision scientists warn that this protective strategy puts seniors at risk for social isolation and disability.

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As we get older, the trillions of cells in our body do too. And like us, they become less resilient and able to weather the stress of everyday life. Our skin especially tells the tale of what’s happening throughout our bodies. Now, scientists are learning that aging cells bear only part of the blame for this downward spiral.

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Aging has been viewed as a period of progressive decline in physical, cognitive and psychosocial functioning, and is viewed by many as the “number one public health problem” facing Americans today. This negative view of aging contrasts with results of a comprehensive study of 1,006 older adults in San Diego by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Stanford University.

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To survey previously uncharted territory, a team of researchers at UW-Madison created an “atlas” that maps more than 1,500 unique landmarks within mitochondria that could provide clues to the metabolic connections between caloric restriction and aging.

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For the first time, scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have defined key events that take place early in the process of cellular aging. Together the discoveries, made through a series of experiments in yeast, bring unprecedented clarity to the complex cascade of events that comprise the aging process and pave the way to understanding how genetics and environmental factors like diet interact to influence lifespan, aging and age-related diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.

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In a new study, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues elsewhere, describe markers and a model that quantify how aging occurs at the level of genes and molecules, providing not just a more precise way to determine how old someone is, but also perhaps anticipate or treat ailments and diseases that come with the passage of time.

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Many of dementia’s behavioral symptoms can be managed well without medications.

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Scientific studies have suggested that a wandering mind indicates unhappiness, whereas a mind that is present in the moment indicates well-being. Now, a preliminary UCSF study suggests a possible link between mind wandering and aging, by looking at a biological measure of longevity.

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For baby boomers, the peak interest in health issues comes at about age 51, with a second peak coming near age 65, according to a new study.

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Many baby boomers want to improve the way people view aging, but an Oregon State University researcher has found they often reinforce negative stereotypes of old age when interacting with their own parents, coloring the way those seniors experience their twilight years.

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Common medication to treat insomnia, anxiety, itching or allergies can have a negative impact on memory or concentration in the elderly, according to Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Research Chair at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM, Montreal Geriatric University Institute) and Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Montreal (UdeM).

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A small study of older and younger men conducted at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University suggests that a build-up of a fat molecule known as ceramide might play a leading role in muscle deterioration in older adults.

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New research to be presented at the American Public Health Association's 140th Annual Meeting

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Cognitive functions improve significantly after four months of high-intensity interval training program in middle-aged people with increased cardiovascular risk.

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Computer simulations provide new mathematical support for the “grandmother hypothesis” – a famous theory that humans evolved longer adult lifespans than apes because grandmothers helped feed their grandchildren.

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A link has been discovered between Alzheimer’s disease and the activity level of protein eIF2alpha. Prof. Kobi Rosenblum, U of Haifa: "Altering the performance of this protein via drug via drug therapy could constitute a treatment for Alzheimer’s."