“A new cure has been found” – Professor Richard, I. Morimoto, and a team of scientists from the Northwestern University, claims they have revealed a secret “button,” a master “switch” controlling how long people live and how healthy they are at elder ages.

The starting point of the recent discovery is the process of protein-folding into the brain: in order to work correctly, proteins elements have to connect into a three dimension pattern – and this structure would allow them to function as designed. If improperly folded according to the chemical pattern, they accumulate in the brain and produce neurodegenerative diseases.

The interesting part is to come: body cells rely on a quality control mechanism. Let’s suppose the conveyor belt of the ordinary physiological process gathers empty cans from the factory, in order to fill them with soda. After being filled, on the final section of the conveyor belt, an optical cell analyses their parameters: Are they full? Are they sealed? Are they bumped? Are they labeled?

This quality control is very similar to the living organism mechanism: shock proteins (the optical cell) check with misfolded proteins: they ensure protein-folding is correct when made, or when misfolded, sends the other proteins to recycling – thus preventing their accretion into the cell. Shock proteins are present in any organism.

After this discovery, Professor Richard Morimoto was amazed: since heat shock, proteins are a natural self-preserving mechanism, why do proteins misfold and why do degenerative diseases exist? Isn’t there any means to trigger the heat-shock proteins? Isn’t there a genetic master switch?

The research raised a deep philosophical internal debate for Morimoto: Is it correct that our body is programmed to have a certain lifespan? – it is as if our system does purposely shutting off – after having had a good life – do our genes dictate our departure? – Nowadays, people aren’t dying at the age of 30 or 40, as we did in the 20th century. The common cause of death was at that time infection, cholera, typhoid, but today we are now living to an advanced age.

Caenorhabditis Elegans is a one millimeter ground worm feeding on decaying leaves. It has almost the same gene number as humans and, besides, aging genes are identical. For these reasons, a worm used in the laboratory researches – such as those developed by MD Morimoto and his colleague Veena Prahlad. The two scientists and their team discovered that, when aging, C. elegans’ body turns off the optical control cell mechanism and permit misfolded proteins to store in the organism.

The “turn off” command comes from the organism’s brain – and that means there should be switch button in the brain. This was the conclusion of the molecular bio-scientists. For the C. elegans model system; the animal grows older at the cost of having accumulated aggregates. However, if the signal that induces the quality control machinery to stop working could be altered by a neuronal signal that could re-activate the system than the organism would be able to live longer.

Morimoto’s and Prahlad’s theory proved to be correct: they reduced the brain signal that turned off quality control mechanism, and they obtained new heat shock proteins, and thus – misfolded proteins accumulated within the cell diminished.

Although enthusiastic about his discovery, in a rather mystic question, Morimoto doubts his right to continue the research: Is it okay to use biological knowledge to alter our aging process? There is a possibility that indeed there is some form of senescence and if it is traded for aging people might start being deprived from other functions such as physical or cognitive abilities. We can yet not predict the possible cons

Tamoxifen Increases Diabetes Risk

The breast cancer medicine has been associated with increased diabetes risk for elder woman. This was shown in a recent study, published in the Cancer journal. Though, the study did not reveal a direct connection between tamoxifen and diabetes occurrence, in some cases.

However, scientists claim that the risk is higher for people who have a medical history in diabetes favoring conditions, such as relatives who are already diabetic or obesity. These factors might, together with tamoxifen, contribute to support the new discovery.

The study revealed that 10% of the breast cancer survivors were given the diagnostic “diabetes” within a period of five years from their cancer cure. A period they are usually prescribed tamoxifen. The study was conducted over a group of 14,000 women.

The incidence of diabetes was found to be 25% higher for women under tamoxifen than the control sample.

Food Supplements overdosing

People having food supplements – minerals or vitamins – might be overdosing their organisms and might risk inducing themselves health conditions.

Adding food supplements to their diet might make some people boost nutrient metabolism. A study recently published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition incriminates un-recommended dietary supplements intake for a series of health issues.

One of the cases referred to by the study was mineral overdosing that might cause serious problems, starting from iron or minerals overloading of the organism.

Source: Chicago Tribune

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However, some people think that cars are the only way of transportation. In San Diego, as well over America people believe that cars reflect their status and are a symbol of independence.

Driving a car can never be taken as a joke; it requires metal focus and the ability to make quick decisions. Drivers need also to have motor skill, and it cannot be neglected.

There are many senior drivers out there, who can drive cars perfectly. Precisely, there is no age limit that after a particular age, you have to stop driving. Yet, increasing age can disturb vision, physical and mental abilities, and after that you have no choice to give up for the sake of your safety. It can happen at the age of 60 but in some cases people do not quit driving until 90, maybe it’s because they adapt themselves perfectly on roads.

People recognize their downfall in driving skills, or they find themselves weak for driving. Usually, in such cases senior drives do willingly surrender their keys. Approximately, 600,000 drivers reduce their driving while some prefer to completely stop driving every year. However, some senior driver sticks with their need of independence and induces danger to road safety.

Adult children of senior drivers should recommend their parents to quit driving because to ensure safety driving on the road as elders driving skills do degrade year-on-year. It is quite painful for seniors to forget about their symbol of independence. It can be embarrassing as well, but no one can deny the fact that after certain age human abilities start to degrade, and we cannot risk the life of people and also loved ones.

In 2003, a tragic accident occurred involving a senior driver; In California, George Weller who was 86-year-old was accused guilty for killing 10 people in a road accident at Santa Monica.

Senior drivers should keep a check-list to evaluate how long they can continue to drive. According to AARP, the potential warning signs that suggest that one should stop driving are:

• The driver seems to be uncomfortable, or he is very nervous while driving.
• The car got dents on it or around his house, he got broke fence and mailbox.
• The driver is having problems while changing lane or to cope with his lane.
• The drivers repeatedly get lost, and he cannot even find his way by using a map or GPS.
• The driver skips different signs along the road
• The driver is not capable of taking quick decisions to unexpected situation, like a driver in front of him changes his lane fast or stops suddenly in front.
• The driver frequently finds himself in almost crashed situations.
• The driver having problems to judge intersections and gaps between cars on the road.
• Other divers are using horns and are showing their anger towards the old driver.
• Relatives and friends don’t want to sit anymore.

The points mentioned above depicts that the driver is experiencing an impoverished in health. So it is fundamental to ask about his or her health status, but do also advise to stop driving.

In some circumstances, senior drivers are exposed to dizziness because they are under special medications, which affect their reflexes. It should be noted that medication can also induce stress and in some cases cause hallucinations.

You should take a short trip with old driver so that you can observe mistakes carefully, but don’t give remarks on his driving because he might get angry, just help him out. Keep notes about problems he had during the whole trip.

If you think it’s a serious problem and he/she should quit driving then you should ask law enforcement officer or medical professional to call that driver for driving test. His family members can also forward this request without being noticed.

The AAA foundation for driver safety is hosting a great website which can help the problems faced by old drivers. Moreover there are several other websites available which can help senior drivers. However if you thing that nothing is working out and the condition of senior driver is dangerous, you must grab the keys and remove the car in front of him. Although it’d be difficult for you as well, but you cannot let him hurt someone like that.

Websites: www.seniordrivers.org and www.iihs.org/laws/olderdrivers

Source: Washington Times

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There are more than 36 million victims of different types of Alzheimer condition. This was revealed in the results of the survey study expressed during the Alzheimer Association International Conference held this year in Paris. It can be seen that how much threat this disease possesses albeit being considered a low profile disease in comparison to conditions like AIDS, Cancer, and Cardiovascular conditions.

Testing even when there are no apparent symptoms is necessary when it is about the threat of Alzheimer disease. The reason being the fact that Alzheimer disease starts showing its symptoms after about 10 years – as from the year the body/brain suffers from it. So earlier the disease is identified through testing better, it can be treated. Furthermore, families can also get ample time to face the inevitable, if the disease is bound to occur later.

Bayer AG fulfilled the financial requirements of the survey study that was conducted in United States and different European countries like Germany, Spain, France and Poland. Harvard School of Public Health and Alzheimer based in Europe conducted the actual study. Sample size selected for the study was about 2,000 adults of both genders. Bayer AG is equipped with conducting imaging tests that can diagnose the existence of Alzheimer way earlier than other mainstream methods.

In the study, a huge chunk (85 percent) replied that they would definitely consult a medical practitioner, as soon as they feel they are losing memory. Even more people (94 percent) felt the same for any of their family members.

Approximately, 25 percent of the respondents from the targeted countries ranked Alzheimer as the scariest disease. This particular piece of statistics is even more significant that the list of seven diseases provided to respondents included heart-related diseases and cancer.

Fifty-four percent of Poles, 72 percent of French, 73 percent of American and Germans and 77 percent Spanish people said they knew at least someone who is a victim of Alzheimer condition. Another thirty percent of the respondents revealed that they have at least an Alzheimer victim in their own immediate or distant family.

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

Although the fear is very high as it is evident from the study results, having said that there is a certain lack of awareness in the overall situation is true. As 40 percent of the respondents were not aware of the fact that Alzheimer can be a terminal disease as they believed there must have been some treatment to address this medical condition.

Treatment strategies so far are only successful in addressing the symptoms rather than actually treating the disease or at least slowing it down. Alzheimer is a very dangerous medical condition in which the patient starts losing his or her thinking capabilities, and in chronic cases cannot even perform daily normal tasks.

Almost 50 percent of respondents thought that detecting Alzheimer is not much of an issue, and it is very easy to determine if the person is suffering from Alzheimer disease, way earlier than the disease actually hit him or her.

A vast majority about 70 percent of the respondents showed interest in having them tested to identity any possibility of Alzheimer.

Blendon while discussing the finding of the study shared that most of the respondents (two third to be precise) wanted to have themselves tested even if there are no clear symptoms find in them.

Research is currently going on to develop a system that can detect the possibility of Alzheimer in the early stages before even showing the symptoms. Most notably the research is being conducted by companies like General Electric, Eli Lilly and Bayer. However, ground reality right now is that there are no tests that can conclusively identify the possibility of Alzheimer in the person before showing the symptoms.

Blendon went on to say that, it is encouraged to have Alzheimer testing to the people who have some symptoms identified in themselves. However, Blendon feels that identification of disease increase people’s aspiration to have the disease treated as well, which is, unfortunately, not the case with Alzheimer.

Dr. Gary Kennedy who is associated with New York’s Montefiore Medical Center in geriatric psychiatry department believes that testing for Alzheimer early is still better. Dr. Kennedy was not involved in the study. In his opinion early testing is beneficial for the patient as well as the family. By early diagnoses families of the victim can do the necessary arrangements by reading and counselling from various sources.

Also the victims themselves can make necessary decisions and plan for the time when the disease hit them with full throttle. Optimist Dr. Gary Kennedy admitted that the results of the drugs are only 20 percent successful, but still going on medication earlier is better. It increases ones chance for survival or even avoidance of the diseases. He also admitted that with such a low success rate families do not generally find the money and resources spending worth it. Still, Dr. Kennedy prescribes treatment to Alzheimer patients and roughly 20 percent of them experienced some benefits.

Source: Reuters.

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This research finding was developed at a research center based in Toronto, called Baycrest. Baycrest’s research is contradicting previous research that proposed that seniors had a barrier in their learning process when it came to mistakes. This research used two methods to study the relation of aging: trial-and-error learning and passive learning. This Toronto based research discovered that trial-and-error learning was more successful in adult learning and memory.

The lead researcher on this team, Andree-Ann Cyr, said that effort and active participation are key ingredients when it comes to memory. These two ingredients are more effective compared to passive learning.
Baycrests’ research involved individuals between the ages of 20 and 70. Research illustrated that the group of older people responded better to trial and error (2.5 times better) than did the group of younger participants.

Andree-Ann Cyr trusts that these results are due to the fact that elderly people have reduced memory abilities. Factors that made a substantial impact on memory were mistakes and errors.

This research is available online at the Psychology and Aging website.

Source: French Tribune

Health And Aging, Longevity

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In addition, the research did also reveal that the risk of developing mental disorders were even higher if an individual had no partner in midlife. So the study claims that living an isolated life, without partners, expose these individuals to greater risk of mental degeneration.

In other studies as well similar results have been found. It has been shown that socially engaging lifestyle help people to age well. In other words, people who are socially connected are involved in more activities which as intellectually stimulating. This prevents a decline in cognitive function as one age.

Medical science has progressed significantly in the recent years. However, there is still no known cure for cognitive dysfunction associated with aging. This report says that love promotes longevity and can actually help to delay aging.

In earlier studies, factors such as regular physical activities, healthy diets and lifestyle have been shown to delay mental dysfunction like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Now love can be added to the list of factors to healthy aging.

Source: Time For Wellness

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In Montana as well as Missoula the leading causes of death are cardiovascular disease and subsequently cancer (Lung cancer the greatest killer of the cancers).

Third on the list, unintentional deaths and chronic lower respiratory disease are found, which are the greatest killer for people aged 35 and below.

Irrespective of the rating of the lethal killers, the origins for these diverse diseases are; sedentary lifestyle, overeating, tobacco, unhealthy choices. This is at least what Carol Ballew, who is a senior public health epidemiologist for the Montana Department of Health & Human Services says.

According to Ballew, most diseases can either be delayed or prevented. It is true that the body will gradually become feeble and some type of diseases is evitable going to hit you. Minor alteration in our lifestyle can postpone deadly effects well into our 90s.

People being genetically predisposed to various diseases, due to factors such as hereditary, can delay these age-related health hazards well into their old days. The tricks are to be more active, consume health food and to stay away from smoking. The standard and quality of life can be improved significantly with such manoeuvres.

Bellew also added that doing some cardiovascular exercise can considerably increase one’s odds of longer life. For instance, stopping to smoke will drastically bring down risks of both lung cancer and heart disease. There is no ideal age to stop smoking, the earlier the better. Another important aspect is weight management, which is of great essence for heart health and general well-being.

To stay certain of one’s risk to various diseases, it is essential to regularly undertake some general health tests. Most cancers can be cured if identified at an early stage of development.

Todd Harwell, from the Montana’s Bureau chief of chronic disease prevention and health promotion says that we have to go for healthy lifestyles. There is an indisputable amount of reasons to adopt a healthy lifestyle like living without disease but if generally healthiness isn’t enough just consider the painful cost of healthcare.

Spending your hard earned retirement money on medical expenses is something that none of us would like to do.

Suggestions on how to decrease the rate of death by Montanans have been enumerated by the government but the public seems to over-view the importance of dealing with preventable deaths.

Here are some facts for Montana’s Health department.
1. A total of 38 percent of the adults in Montana are overweight but not obese.
2. A total of 24 percent of the adults in Montana are obese.
3. A total of 28 percent of the population in Montana suffer from high blood pressure
4. A total of 17 percent of the population do smoke.
5. A total of 7 percent of the population suffer from diabetes.

In Montana the underlying cause of death is, in reality, smoking. It causes both cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

In Montana smoking causes the grave of more than motor vehicle injuries, all infectious diseases, homicide, suicide and breast cancer together. The medical bill associated with smoking is estimated to $277 million in Montana. In addition, for private companies an estimated net worth of $305 million is lost, due to decreases in productivity and illnesses related to smoking.

Solutions For Preventable Diseases
The best thing is that education is helping people to change their social behaviour towards healthier ones.

The aim of the state is to improve the healthiness of Montanans to ultimately achieve higher productivity and longevity of its population. Harwell says that more emphasis on preventable related issues can significantly lower the medical bill and help people to live independently in their old days.

The state health department is establishing programs to prevent heart disease, diabetes, obesity and reduce consumption of tobacco in Montana.

There are ranges of Tobacco projects being hosted to stop smoking. One is the Montana Tobacco Quit line where people are offered a free nicotine replacement therapy over a period of six months as well as a cheaper price for Chantix.

Medicaid Tobacco Cessation project is another one where a multi-pronged approach is being used. The program consists of awareness campaigns and other strong anti-smoking measures. In addition, 2008, a cardiovascular disease and diabetes prevention program was established by the health department.

The long-term goals of these programs are to lower the rate of heart disease and vulnerability to diabetes. In the short-term the goal is to lower the weight of people and promote physically active lifestyles. In respect to various studies, these various programs are likely going to reduce people’s risk to cardiovascular disease, cancer and smoking related illness by 58 percent.

In the past, diseases were believed to commence at the age of 40 and primarily for people who are inactive or overweight. However, now children of the age of 7 to 8 years are suffering from these diseases. This is all related to changes in lifestyle.

Establishing a health conscious society will have a ripple effect, where grandmothers and elders will pass-over healthy lifestyle practices to younger generations. This is the fundamental core aim of the programs being offered in Montana.

Source: Missoulian

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For a number of years the existing hypothesis had to do with a loss of memory due to fragmented proteins – the plaque and snarls – which build up within the brain. Today, Davies with the Litwin-Zucker Center for the Study of Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory based out of Manhasset, New York, believes there is a more diverse offender. He thinks the function that manages cell separation has gone awry – similar to the cancer scenario – and those plaque and snarls are the outcome. The quest to figure this out has meant Davies has studied over six thousand craniums from hundreds of studies.

Sourcing Out The Puzzling Nature Of Alzheimer’s

There are two chief irregularities with this illness – microscopic abrasions known as plaque and tangles that take place in the brains of the afflicted. These are essentially how the illness was first diagnosed back in 1906. It is necessary to find out these irregularities are caused by the progression of the illness or whether these irregularities actually cause the illness. This has been the primary question among researchers for decades and there exists much dispute regarding this – are these abnormalities the cause or the effect?

Why Is It Taking More Than One Hundred To Understand Alzheimer’s Disease?

The brain is already at the end phase of the illness by the time researchers have a chance to study it. Alzheimer’s is a dreadfully slow to develop process and when the time arrives that researchers are able to look at it seriously it has already reached the end stage. O many developments have already occurred that might be the result of the illness rather than simply the cause of the illness.

What Is The Most Serious Concern In Alzheimer’s Research To This Point?

This is actually the classic chicken and egg scenario. Most people researching the disease now believe the plaque derived from protein bits known as beta amyloid pep-tide [BAP], are the first sign and the buildup of this substance is responsible for furthering the illness. These are known as the Baptists. The reverse face of the illness is the snarl/ tangle, derived from the protein Tau. Those Tauists think this protein comes initially. If you are from the Baptist group you think the amyloid is the significant issue, this means your effort goes to finding means to thwart the development of or forming of the amyloid within the brain.

You Believe It Is Neither Plaque Nor Tangles That Are The Cause – Correct?

Davies thinks the irregularities are caused from the progression of the illness. They have studies cancer cell progression in Alzheimer’s to discover if they have the capacity to cause the illness and the plaque and snarl/tangles that make up such prominent characteristics. It indeed sounds odd that Alzheimer’s could be comparable to brain cancer. However, this was the result of laboratory study that signaled there were neurons in the afflicted area of the Alzheimer brain which appeared like they were attempting to separate. A number of the protein features of cancer cells appear in these neurons and this is not normal behavior.

A particular group of scientists [headed by a former student of Davies, raised rodents with mature brain cells and pushed them with a viral gene to switch on cell separation functionality. The result of this was extraordinary: The rodents displayed the comparable proof that cell separation functions were switched on, the displayed cell apoptosis, snarls as well as plaque – much like Alzheimer’s disease? Currently they are attempting to deduce just how and why neurons in an Alzheimer’s brain choose to switch on their cell separation apparatus.

What Effects Will Knowing The Cause Of Alzheimer’s Affect The Method Of Treatment?

Just now the therapy for Alzheimer’s is to treat symptoms instead of the disease. The hope is to be able to slow the rate at which the illness progresses in its beginning phase. The ability to know more means we have hope for managing it, averting it or impede it due to lesion development interference. If it was known exactly what was occurring in the Alzheimer’s patient’s brain, the innate progression from there would be to understand how to precisely diagnose the illness in its initial phase. This way a patient with some functionality could be saved. There is no win if the patient is “cured” in the late stage of the illness but is incapable of proper function. The brunt of medical research into this illness is going toward early diagnosis and this is not a superficial challenge. The researchers are studying an illness that is so uniquely human so that challenge is a difficult one.

How Soon Will There Be A Cure?

Just now is a very exciting period in Alzheimer’s research since currently there are over six hundred medical trials taking place. The hope is that one or more will hit pay dirt. There are numerous imaginative advances to these studies – from pharmaceuticals to monoclonal antibodies – and the significance of this cannot be embellished. Should the beta amyloid theory be accurate, the possibility exists that current research being done could thwart or even prevent the illness altogether. Fingers are crossed that at least one of the trials currently underway will mean an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

The Popular Notion Is Alzheimer’s Will Eventually Overload The Health Care System. Do You Concur?

The illness in a realistic sense is of epidemic proportions. Alzheimer’s is going to mean your death but it will happen over a long period of time. It begins with a sort of memory loss whereby you forget what happened to the car keys ending up with an individual who is entirely dependent and non functioning. There is no ability to talk or even identify immediate family members. There just simply is not enough being done. The belief is that the health care structure has yet to clue into the fact. The major drug corporations are already deeply into funding for Alzheimer’s research but it has taken far too long to bring attention to the illness.

In 2050 there is going to somewhere in the neighborhood of sixteen million Alzheimer’s patients. This would be impossible to manage from a financial standpoint. The majority of these souls will wind up in long term care facilities that are expensive – about forty thousand dollars per year for one person. Do the math for sixteen million and you see the problem. No health care program in the world could pay for that. The costs monetarily and physically are shocking.

Anti Aging, Bioscience, Gerontology, Health And Aging

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A recent study available online on Eurekalert (University of Manchester) entitled:”See off Alzheimer’s with the color purple” explains how purple fruits are helpful to our brain.

In the study, originally published in the Journal of Archives of Toxicology examined the effect of excess iron in the blood. It is known that a surplus of iron in our blood is associated to heart attack and heart disease. The new study suggested that the metal (iron) has a link with impoverished brain health. It was found that unbound iron tended to go beyond blood-brain barriers where they introduced free radical damage, which gave rise to toxins referred to as hydroxyl radicals.

Green Tea and Purple Berries the Combination to combat excess Iron (Iron Chelators)
In order to protect yourself against damaging effects caused by too much iron. It is necessary to consume nutrients called iron chelators. The consumption of purple fruits and vegetables contains a special compound that directly neutralizes the negative effect that excess iron imposes on our brain. Green tea, acai berries and blueberries are considered as excellent food for full brain protection.

The research also claimed that it is essential to reduce the intake of red meat, which is a source of unbound iron. The iron that is derived from red meat is mostly unbound and spreads freely in the blood. On the other hand, vegetarians are better off. They gather their source of iron from spinach and other leafy greens which are concentrated with bound fiber. These green sources of iron do not have the negative associated with iron derived from red-meat.

The study found that the positive effect derived from antioxidants such as vitamin C was negated if there were a high level of unbound iron. Meanwhile, those who consumed a high level of fruits and vegetables experienced a better effect of the antioxidant.

Improve Brain Housekeeping – Acai Berry

Most brain degenerative health problems occur when the usual cellular housekeeping cycle is affected by something called autophagy. At the USDA’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, a team of researchers found that berry extracts had the potential to fix this process in aging adults. The powerful antioxidants of Acai berry helped to counter fight disruption in the cellular housekeeping cycle of the brain.

The skin of the berry contains Anthocyanins, which safeguard people from pro-inflammatory agents like COX-2 and TNF-alpha. The study indicates that acai has rich antioxidant properties, which support healthy aging of the brain. Acai berry seems to effectively help in fighting inflammation and other oxidative damages that occur at the cellular level. It was mentioned that Acai berries can be consumed as a supplemented extracts, concentrated drink or in simply in its natural form.

The purple substance found in the skin of vegetables, and fruits are fundamental to brain health. Advanced research suggests that their antioxidant properties help in binding iron and reduce brain inflammation, which does ultimately protect cells in our head.

A healthy brain requires lots of purple food. The more purple fruits and vegetables you are consuming the longer might you be able to learn, walk, remember and think.

Source: Technorati

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Martha McLintock and Sonia Cavigelli from the University of Chicago mentioned, that rats suffering neophobia or are afraid of uncertainty are 60 percent more likely to die than brave rats, in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study can provide fascinating insight into human behaviours. It was found that human babies demonstrating symptoms of shyness or fearfulness had a vigorous autonomic and endocrine nervous system. In order to shade light on this area of grey matter, the Chicago team investigated the correlation of physiology and fear in animals having a shorter longevity and a simpler behavior mechanism such as laboratory rats.

The experiment was conducted with 28 young male rats placed in an environment with unknown objects. The 28 rats were placed in a tank where unfamiliar objects were present at random. The object included an empty food hopper, a bowl, a brick and a tunnel. The reaction of the rats was thereafter observed. The experiment demonstrated that some rats embraced the new environments while others remained in a fearful condition. The behavior of the rats was categorized as either neophilic (novelty loving) or neophobic.

The study discovered that diseases were developed in both groups (neophilic and neophobic). However, the neophilic rats were on average able to live longer.

On average, the neophobes lived 599 days while the novelty-loving rats lived a median lifespan of 701 days. After 840 days, all the neophobic male rats had deceased while the longest-lived neophilic-rat survived for an additional 6 month.

In the Journal of Neurology, it has been reported that people facing depression or anxiety are 50 percent more likely to experience Alzheimer’s disease. The US research involved a total of 797-participant aged on average 75 years, and they were nuns, brothers and Roman Catholic priests.

According to the study, further research is required to comprehend whether anti-depressant could prevent the adversity caused to them.

Source: Guardian

Lifestyle, Longevity

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Polyunsaturated fatty acids are fundamental essential nutrients required for the proper function of cells and the brain. Yet, they are one of the most susceptible human cells. They are extremely vulnerable to oxidative modification that occurs naturally in the body.

Biochemistry and chemistry professor Catherine Clarke and her team from UCLA generated a novel approach to assure the equilibrium of polyunsaturated fatty acids. A way to reinforce these molecules was invented. This renders the damage of oxidation less harmful to cells.

Clarke says that polyunsaturated fatty acids are highly significant compounds, but they are extremely vulnerable. In most disease the cell membrane performance degrades. Thus, developing a type of supplement that can hinder such damage is a tempting trial to avoid neurodegenerative diseases. It might even help to reduce the aging effect caused by oxidative stress.

The treatment would help to strengthen molecules so that cells wouldn’t be damaged to the same extent. This would equally reduce the heavy dependence on antioxidants for repairing cellular damage. In other words, this new discovery can help to address diseases and age-related-illnesses coming from oxidative stress.

The study carried out demonstrates the essence and fragility of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The research did also show the relation of damaged cells to several neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids have several other important functions in the body. For instance, fatty acid is used to generate hormones that treat inflammation, blood clotting and pain.
The research has been funded through the National Institutes of Health and was published in an online issue of Free Radical Biology and Medicine. A print edition is expected for 2011.

The study demonstrated how the susceptible hydrogen atoms of polyunsaturated fatty acids could be substituted with deuterium. It is an isotope of hydrogen having an additional neutron. The altered fatty acids have the same capabilities as the earlier version but the only different with this improved version is it resistance to oxidative stress.

In addition, the biochemists did equally try to enhance the mechanism of two essential dietary fatty acids. This was done through the demonstration of yeast cells having been treated together with polyunsaturated fatty acids. The yeasts cells were strongly enforced against oxidation in comparison to yeast having typical polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Clark explains the importance of polyunsaturated fatty acids by using a comparative analogue to oil-based paint. She says that when oil-based paint is spread on the wall “it turns into a hard coat of enamel.” The transition to enamel happens due to oxidative reaction. “A hard coat of enamel is great for a wall but lousy for a cell membrane. Cells have to deal with damage continually and have to be able to repair the damage that results from the oxidation.”

The experiment involved yeast that had been modified. It had a lack of antioxidants. It was found that colonies having the normal polyunsaturated fatty acids had a shorter-lifespan compared to those using the deuterium-empowered fatty acids.

Superseding a few hydrogen atoms with deuterium led to vigorous life instead of death for the various yeast samples used.

The fatty acids in yeast mutants had been deprived of a fundamental antioxidant called co-enzyme Q (which is a highly important antioxidant for stress). It was found that 99 percent of the normal fatty acids died in less than 4 hours while the reinforced fatty acids stayed alive. The yeast cells having been deprived of coenzyme Q were unable to survive or grow.

The new isotopes lived successfully. This is remarkable finding according to Beth Marbois who is a UCLA research chemist as well as a co-author.

The human body cannot produce polyunsaturated fatty acid like Omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. In order to compensate for this shortage, people buy fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids. Nevertheless, in case polyunsaturated fatty acids get oxidized than the hydrogen atoms will squeeze out of the molecule structure. The ramification is that a new compound is formed, which handicaps the ability of the cell membrane to work properly.

For the brain, retina and other critical organs of our body essential fats coming from walnut oil, olive oil and flaxseed oil are necessary in promoting the proper functioning of these body parts. For instance, neurons present in the heart, brain and muscle are mostly essential fats. In salmon these essential fats are present as the fish consume microorganisms, which produce these types of fats. Equally, humans have to consume salmon to extract these essential fatty acids.

In fish oils, there are 10 hydrogen atoms. All these atoms are vulnerable to oxidative damage. The destruction of one polyunsaturated fatty acid molecule will accelerate the damage throughout the membrane.

The nervous system starts to send signals for antioxidants like Vitamin E to intervene whenever a hydrogen atom has been eliminated via oxidation. The antioxidants protect cells by sealing the molecule and thereby prevent nearby molecules from being degraded as well.

The deuterium atoms are much stronger than hydrogen atoms. Therefore, oxidative stress doesn’t cause severe damage, and fewer antioxidants are needed to repair damages.

This new methodology doesn’t use antioxidants to end the chain reaction. Instead, the new technique’s envelopes a bullet-proof vest to prevent the hydrogen atoms to oxidative damage in the first hand.

Recommendation – Be Physically Active and Eat Fish To Stay Healthy

Marbois suggest that people should eat lots of fish like salmons. In addition physical healthiness is another criterion for overall healthiness.

Aging research has shown that being physically active have helped people who haven’t taken nutritional supplements to live longer.

Fish oil or fish should be kept in the refrigerator as well. Hot temperature tends to cause fatty acids of these food substances to oxidize at a rapid rate.

Hill who is currently applying to graduate schools in biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology says that the expertise derived from Professor Clarke’s laboratory have contributed to a ‘live-changing experience’. Other students and researchers do equally praise Professor Clarke’s laboratory at UCLA to be a privileged research place.

Source: Physorg

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