aging tagged posts

Examination of thousands of genes from nearly 150 human brains shows the circadian rhythm of gene activity changes with aging, according to a first-of-its-kind study conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. It suggest also that a novel biological clock begins ticking only in the older brain.

A 24hr circadian rhythm controls nearly all brain and body processes, such as the sleep/wake cycle, metabolism, alertness and cognition. These daily activity patterns are regulated by certain genes that are found in almost all cells, but have rarely been studied in the human brain. “Studies have reported that older adults tend to perform complex cognitive tasks better in the morning and get worse through the day,” Dr. McClung said...

Transcriptional control of bcat-1-mediated regulation of lifespan.

Out of a ‘haystack’ of 40,000 genes from 3 different organisms, scientists have found genes involved in physical aging. If you influence only 1 of these genes, the healthy lifespan of lab animals is extended – and possibly that of humans, too.

Until now, this was mostly limited to genes of individual model organisms such as the C. elegans nematode, which revealed that ~1% of its genes could influence life expectancy. However, researchers have long assumed that such genes arose in the course of evolution and in all living beings whose cells have a preserved a nucleus – from yeast to humans.

Researchers at ETH Zurich and JenAge consortium from Jena have now systematically gone through genomes of 3 different organisms in searc...

An international group of researchers examined expression of genes in blood samples from 15,000 people.

New research has shed light on the molecular changes that occur in our bodies as we age. In the largest study of its kind, an international group of researchers, including experts from the University of Exeter’s Medical School, examined expression of genes in blood samples from 15,000 people across the world.

They found 1,450 genes that are linked to aging, and also uncovered a link between these genes and factors such as diet, smoking and exercise. Whilst the underlying causes of human aging are largely unknown, growing old increases the risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke — 3 of the leading causes of death.

The research team specifically looked for changes in gen...

The stem cells asymmetrically segregate damaged proteins (red) between the mother and the daughter cells (on the left: DNA grey). Responsible for this is a diffusion barrier. The strength of the barrier weakens with advancing age. This leads to reduced asymmetry of damaged protein segregation (on the right). Credit: UZH

Neural stem cells generate new neurons throughout life in the mammalian brain. However, with advancing age the potential for regeneration in the brain dramatically declines. Scientists of the University of Zurich now identified a novel mechanism of how neural stem cells stay relatively free of aging-induced damage. A diffusion barrier regulates the sorting of damaged proteins during cell division.

Dividing neural stem cells (outlined with a white line) establish a diffusion...