UCLA Health Tip Sheet September 2023

Newswise — Sleep problems are associated with faster biologic aging A new study suggests that inadequate sleep, short sleep or insomnia symptoms, may accelerate biological aging, thereby potentially increasing health risks for older adults. For the study, scientists at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, and the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, analyzed data from nearly 3,800 participants aged 56 to 100 years, comparing sleep duration and insomnia with aging at the biological level using an "epigenetic age acceleration clock," a recent innovation estimating biological age based on measurements of multiple epigenetic sites across an individual's genome. They identified insomnia as the presence of one or more insomnia symptoms such as difficulty falling asleep, frequent nighttime awakenings, and waking up too early, coupled with feeling unrested. Short sleepers were defined as those who spend less than six hours per night in bed. Individuals with insomnia appeared to experience an acceleration of aging equal to an increase of 0.5 year in GrimAge and a 0.02 faster rate of aging per year (Dunedin PACE). Those who reported short sleep duration showed a potential increase of 1.3 years in GrimAge and an increase in 0.02 faster rate in aging per year. Individuals that exhibited both trouble sleeping and short sleep faced an increase in aging equal to 1.0 year in GrimAge and a faster pace in aging of 0.03 per year. The research indicates that poor sleep patterns may contribute to a faster aging process at the biological level, thereby potentially elevating the likelihood of age-related health conditions and overall longevity. The study was published August 21 in Psychosomatic Medicine.

Eating patterns tested for for Alzheimer's disease symptoms A new study, co-authored by Christopher Colwell, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA, finds that time-restricted feeding (TRF), a specific eating schedule where food intake is restricted to certain times of the day without reducing overall calorie intake, had a positive impact on sleep patterns in mice bred to have Alzheimer’s disease-like characteristics. Disruptions in the body's natural daily rhythms, known as circadian rhythms, have a significant impact on many individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Those lead to difficulty sleeping and worsening cognitive function. There are no existing treatments that target this aspect of the disease. Emerging data indicate that these changes occur early in Alzheimer’s disease progression, potentially indicating they are not consequences but the cause of neurodegeneration. The new study, which focused on two different mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, demonstrated that TRF was able not only to improve sleep quality and enhance memory, but also reduced the accumulation of amyloid plaques, promote the clearance of a specific protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and restore the daily patterns of gene activity in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory. The authors say the approach holds promise for clinical application, offering a much-needed solution to the pressing need for accessible strategies to slow down or halt the advancement of Alzheimer's disease. Future studies, they say, should explore the potential of TRF in human patients, with the goal of bringing this non-invasive and accessible intervention to those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Read more in this news story from UC San Diego, who led the study. Read the study published August 21 in Cell Metabolism.

Can speaking more than one language delay Alzheimer’s disease? A new review suggests speaking multiple languages might delay Alzheimer's Disease. A new review examines the current, sometimes conflicting literature on whether the regular use of two or more languages increases cognitive reserve, a protective effect thought to emanate from the long-standing executive control involved in managing multiple languages in the brain. The review finds that while studies are not consistent in their assessment of length and use of a second language, most support the presence of increased cognitive capacity and resilience of the brain's frontal lobe and associated executive functions that compensates for the development of AD neuropathology and, thereby, delays the emergence of clinical symptoms of dementia by about 4 to 5 years. Although regularly speaking more than one language does not protect against the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s disease, the delay in its clinical expression has a potentially significant impact on the lifelong morbidity from this age-related disease. Learning other languages may be an important modifiable factor for delaying the clinical expression of AD in later life. The study was published August 1 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

3D Organoid Model for Small Cell Lung Cancer UCLA Health researchers report that they developed a 3D organoid model that appears to mimic the behavior and response to treatment of small cell lung cancer, potentially creating a new way to study the disease and its treatment. Small cell lung cancer has posed a challenge to treat and study due to its high relapse rates and rarity. In the new study, first author Chandani Sen, senior author Brigitte Gomperts, and others report that they used tiny alginate microbeads as a scaffold to mimic lung structure, co-culturing lung cancer cells with lung fibroblasts. In just a week, they began to see the formation of tumors. These mini-tumors closely resembled patient tumors, with some surviving chemotherapy, mirroring what happens in patients. The authors found that lung fibroblasts played a crucial role in supporting the regrowth of cancer cells after treatment, likely through chemical signaling. They say the 3D model opens new doors for research, allowing scientists to study how small cell cancer cells interact and respond to treatments. Read the study published August 7 in Frontiers in Pharmacology.

Insights into penile health and tissue engineering A new study led by Dr. Sriram Eleswarapu, physician scientist in the department of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, explored properties of the layer of the penis called the tunica albuginea (TA), the elastic layer affected by conditions such as Peyronie’s disease, penile fracture and other penile injuries. Disorders affecting the TA can lead to pain, deformity and erectile dysfunction. Investigators examined the structural, biochemical and mechanical characteristics of healthy TA by testing samples from pigs to provide insights for tissue engineering solutions. Results suggest that: collagen makes up a significant portion of the tissue; collagen crosslinks are important to the integrity of the tissues; collagen type I accounted for most of the tissue’s protein content; and TA had more tension along its length compared to its circumference. The study provides valuable data on the biochemical composition, mechanical properties and structural organization of healthy TA. The authors say this information may be helpful for developing engineered replacements for the TA to treat conditions such as Peyronie's disease, which causes deformities and dysfunction in the TA. Read the study published August 13 in Acta Biomaterialia.