Daily Archives: December 19, 2021

The research on aging, and in particular the search for the determinants of successful aging and longevity, has been continuously growing in the last decades also due to the social and medical burden correlated to the continuous increase of lifespan in western countries and the consequent grow of the elderly population. One of the main questions in this field is the correlation between the genetic background and lifestyle in determining the individual chance of a delayed aging (possibly without age-related diseases and disabilities) and longevity. The results obtained by biogerontologists in these years, which highlighted most of the biological and biochemical mechanisms involved in the aging process, allowed to better understand such correlation. This has brought to elaborate important strategies focused on possible interventions to improve lifestyle in order to increase the chance to attain longevity by modulating the basic molecular mechanisms of aging.

Before the 1990ies it was largely spread the idea that aging is ineluctable and that genetics does not control it. It was important, in this view, the idea that aging occurs after reproduction, and then there is no need, but also no opportunity, for selection to act on genes that are expressed during this late period of life [1].

The researcher who pioneered the genetics of aging and longevity was Tom Johnson, who studied groups of C. elegans where he was able to separate long living individuals from short living subjects. The analysis of hybrids obtained from different strains of C. elegans, allowed to estimate that the heritability of life-span was between 20 and 50% [2, 3]. Subsequently, he started the analysis of different mutants and, with M. Klass, found a number of mutants with longer lifespan. Subsequently, Tom Johnson found out that most of the mutants with long lifespan had mutations in the age1 gene [4]. This gene turned out to be the catalytic subunit of class-I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K).

The studies of Johnson clearly demonstrated that genetic variability could indeed affect lifespan. This triggered many studies in model organisms in order to disentangle the different biochemical pathways which could affect lifespan, and to highlight the genes coding for the proteins involved in such pathways. In particular, yeast, C. elegans, drosophila and mice were analyzed and this highlighted numerous genes which could affect lifespan if mutated (for an updated list of these genes see http://genomics.senescence.info/genes/models.html). Most of these genes are related to the maintenance of the integrity of the cell (especially the integrity of DNA). In C. elegans, however, some of the main genes which have been found to modulate lifespan (daf2, daf16) are related to the ability to enter the dauer status [5, 6], that is a quiescent status (usually entered in case of nutrient deprivation) with a minimum energy expense, which causes an arrest of the reproduction process and allows the organism to live longer expecting for the availability of nutrients. This suggested that longevity can be attained by means of an efficient maintenance of the cell but also by diverting resources from reproduction to self maintenance, in line with previous findings that dietary restriction can extend lifespan. After the characterization of these genes in C. elegans, it was found that in mice the ortholog of daf16 (FOXO) could affect lifespan. In mammals, FOXO is correlated to the Insulin/IGF1 axis which is stimulated by nutrient availability and, through FOXO, promotes protein synthesis [711].

It is of note that some Authors suggested these molecular mechanisms modulating lifespan could be due to a pleiotropic effect of genes which have evolved for different purposes (such as the genes in the IGF-1 pathway which have evolved to face presence/absence of nutrients) but can, ultimately affect lifespan; others proposed that some genes may have evolved to program aging and avoid immortality, as this would hamper the continuous substitution of old subjects with new, younger, ones [12, 13].

It was obviously inevitable that the research of the genetic basis of longevity turned to human beings and investigated whether the common genetic variability of human populations could affect inter individual differences in lifespan but also whether the genes found to prolong lifespan in model organisms, on turn, were correlated to human lifespan.

As to the first question (does common genetic variability affect lifespan, and in particular does it affect longevity?), this has been studied by two approaches. The first one was the reconstruction of the sibships of long-lived subjects [14, 15] and the comparison of their survival curves with those of the birth cohorts born in the same geographical area. This approach demonstrated that brothers and sisters of the long-lived subjects had a clear survival advantage (at any age) with respect to the general population. The second approach, with intrafamily controls, was started in order to distinguish the genetic from the familiar effect. Montesanto et al. [15] compared the survival function of brothers of centenarians with those estimated for their brothers in law, that is with the men who married their sisters; these men were supposed to share with the brothers of the long lived subjects the familiar environment. By using this second approach, it has been found that the survival advantage of siblings of long-lived subjects was not completely shared by their brothers in law, despite they shared the same environment for most of their life. This suggested that beyond the family environment, there are genetic factors influencing survival and, consequently, lifespan. Interestingly, in this study, the survival curve of the sisters of long-lived subjects did not differ from the one of sisters in law, suggesting that the genetic component does explain lifespan in men more than in women. The genetic component of lifespan in humans has also been analyzed by comparing the age of death of monozygotic and dizygotic twins. This has allowed to estimate that about 25% of the variation in human longevity can be due to genetic factors and indicated that this component is higher at older ages and is more important in males than in females [1618].

In parallel to these studies, many researches have been carried out to search the genetic variants responsible of modulating human longevity. Most of them were carried out by a case/control approach, by comparing the frequency of specific polymorphisms in long-lived subjects and in younger geographically matched controls. The rationale of this study design is that as the population ages, alleles favorable for survival will be present at higher frequency among long-living people, while unfavorable alleles will be eliminated [1921]. The candidate genes analyzed by this approach were either genes involved in age-related diseases (such as APOE, which had been observed to be involved in the predisposition to Alzheimer Disease and other age-related cognitive impairments), or genes implicated in pathways related to longevity in studies with model organisms (IGF-1, FOXO, Sirtuins) [2225]. This study design has indeed led to find numerous polymorphic genes the variability of which affects longevity. However, each of these polymorphisms turned out to explain only a very small fraction of the longevity variability. Indeed high-throughput Genome-wide analyses, which have recently been carried out have identified many genes positively associated with longevity but only a very few ones could hold multiple test significance and successfully replicated in different studies and across different populations [2629]. Population stratification and inadequate sample sizes are among the main plausible explanations [30]. The adoption of innovative study design and the development of new statistical and computational tools for effective processing of genetic data arising from high-throughput DNA technologies will help to better understand the complex genetic architecture underlying human longevity [31, 32].

A new way of looking at the genetic data has been proposed by Raule et al. [33] who analyzed the complete sequences of mitochondrial DNA from long-lived subjects coming from different areas of Europe. The availability of complete sequences allowed to evaluate for the first time the cumulative effects of specific, concomitant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations, including those that per se have a low, or very low, impact. The analysis indicated that the presence of single mutations on mtDNA complex I may be beneficial for longevity, while the co-occurrence of mutations on both complexes I and III or on both I and V might lower the individuals chances for longevity. Previous analyses on single mutations falling on complex I (either specific mutations or mutations defining groups of haplotypes) had given contrasting results, showing association with longevity in some cases but not in others. It is likely that positive results were obtained in populations were mutations on complex I were not associated with mutations on complex III or V, while negative results were obtained in populations with high prevalence of mtDNA haplotypes carrying mutations on complex I in association with mutations in complex III and V. This approach confirmed that most of the genetic variants have a very limited effect on longevity, and that only their cumulative effect can give a consistent appreciable effect and suggests that a limit of previous analyses has been to search for single mutations instead of cumulative effects. On the other hand, it is very difficult to think of using such approach, which has been successful for mitochondrial DNA, on genomic DNA unless small fractions (or specific regions harboring genes involved in relevant pathways) are analyzed.

On the whole, the genetic association studies suggested that, also in humans, mutations in genes correlated with the maintenance of the cell and of its basic metabolism are essential in modulating lifespan. Indeed, genes involved in DNA repair [34], telomere conservation [3537], heat shock response [38, 39], and the management of free radicals levels [33, 40] were found to contribute to longevity or, in case of reduced functionality, to accelerated senescence (cellular aging) and the consequent organism aging. In addition, as suggested by the studies in mice, the pathways involved in nutrient-sensing signaling and in regulating transcription, such as IGF-1/insulin axis [41] and TOR (target of rapamycin) [42] showed to be involved in modulating human longevity. Besides these genes involved in cellular maintenance/metabolism and senescence, concurrent efforts, especially from clinical studies, also showed that genes implicated in important organismal process may have a strong impact on aging and longevity. For instance genes involved in lipoprotein metabolism (especially APOE), cardiovascular homeostasis, immunity, and inflammation have been found to play an important role in aging, age-related disorders, and organism longevity [4346].

Life expectancy at birth has been increasing for most of the last century in western societies, thanks to the continuous amelioration of medical assistance, to the improvement of the environment (in particular clean, safe water and food), and to the improvement of nutrients. For instance, in Italy life expectancy went from 29years in 1861 to 82 in 2011 (Table reports the evolution of this data in women and men). Similarly, the extreme longevity has been growing in these years. Indeed, the number of centenarians (still in Italy) remarkably increased from 165 in 1951 to more than 15000 in 2011. These results have been attained first by a dramatic reduction of infectious diseases, which, on turn, has dramatically reduced infantile mortality, but also mortality in adult age. In fact, in 2011 less than 10% of deaths occurred in subjects under 60years of age, while the corresponding figures were 74% in 1872, 56% in 1901 and 25% in 1951. However, in the last decades, the continuous extension of lifespan was mainly due to the improvement of medical assistance with respect to age-related diseases, especially Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer, which allowed to increase lifespan of 5years in the last 2 decades and of 2years in the last 10years (data from http://www.mortality.org and http://www.istat.it).

Evolution of lifespan expectancy in Italy from 1861

These data clearly show that environmental factors have a very strong impact on lifespan and on longevity in humans. However, the extension of lifespan that there has been in the last decades have not been accompanied by a similar extension of healthy lifespan. Indeed, in most cases this lifespan extension is due to the chronicit of the age-related diseases. This has brought the community of biogerontologists to study interventions, possibly modulated on the knowledge emerged from the studies on the genetic and biomolecular basis of longevity, to extend not only lifespan but also healthy lifespan, or, with a new word, healthspan. In fact, model organisms with mutations that extend lifespan have a healthy life also when they are old. This suggested that health span extension could be attained by targeting (stimulating or silencing) the genes, which had been highlighted to be involved in life extension in both model organisms and humans [47]. In support of this hypothesis, it has been reported that dietary restricted mice, which live much longer and show a very delayed aging phenotype than mice fed at libitum, at old age have an expression pattern very different from mice of the same age for a number of genes correlated with life extension, such as those related to DNA repair, stress response, immune response and others [48, 49]. Thus, dietary restriction can trigger a molecular-genetic response which postpones aging and age-related phenotypes. This has brought to search for drugs or interventions which may act on these mechanisms without the side effects of calorie restriction. Among the most important interventions which have been considered in this context, we may name the protein restriction, the use of drugs targeting different genes of IGF-1 axis or of the FOXO/TOR pathway [47]. In addition, these studies have allowed to reconsider previous data on some areas characterized by exceptional longevity (such as Okinawa, Sardinia and Calabria) which are characterized by traditional ipoproteic diets, such as the Mediterranean diet [5053]. In these cases, then, the environment, that is the traditional diet, has allowed to stimulate the molecular mechanisms which can increase life span.

Among the several changes that occur with the aging process, in the last decade Epigenomics has attracted the interest of many researchers. This was mainly due to the fact that epigenetic modifications summarizing, at least in part, the interaction between the individual genetic background and lifestyle characteristics, should be potentially able to capture part of the unexplained susceptibility observed today for complex diseases (the so-called missing heritability problem).

Starting from the pioneeristic observations that epigenetic modifications affect not only the aging process but also its quality (successful aging) [54], EpiGenome-Wide Association Studies identified hundreds of sites spread along the entire genome in which methylation levels change between oldest old and younger subjects. In particular, Horwat and co-workers, on the basis of the methylation levels of 353 CpG units, formulated a mathematical model, the so-called epigenetic clock, that showed some important properties [55]. First, it was able predict the chronological age of a subject starting from the methylation level of several cells and tissues of his body. Second, it represents one of the most accurate biomarker of age (also superior to the estimates obtained from the telomere length). Third, using methylation levels of blood and brain tissues from subjects affected by Down syndrome, it showed that an accelerated aging occur in such a syndrome [56]. Fourth, it was able to predict all-cause mortality also after adjusting for traditional risk factors [57]. Finally, when it was used to estimate the biological age of several tissues from supercentenarians, it has been demonstrated that brain and muscle represent the youngest tissues of these exceptional individuals [58].

However, even if the cause-effect relationship between methylation process and aging is still not clear, the potential applications of this discovery are very wide, ranging from detailed monitoring of changes occurring with age within individual systems or organs (muscle, brain, etc.) to forensic purposes. For this and several other reasons, future advances in this field could help the understanding of the complex physiology of aging, lifespan and age-associated diseases.

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Human longevity: Genetics or Lifestyle? It takes two to tango

As we look ahead to the wellness trends primed to influence and empower individuals in 2022, their mind-and-body benefits feel especially vital. This year saw COVID-19 vaccinations offering a sense of hope and a move toward looser restrictions. But amid the new Omicron wave, theres still much uncertainty and enduring fearand looking after our mental and physical well-being is still essential. From the ongoing reward of a good old-fashioned walk to the now more-accessible therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, a look at five wellness trends that are set to keep expanding in 2022.

In 2020, it was all about the sanity walk. But the past year has seen the rise of many new strolling phenomena: Theres the silly little walk, which Vogue culture writer Emma Specter described as a solo outdoor stroll taken with no real purpose, no direction or tacked-on errand; just a vague desire to be out among the living again after a year of isolation (or, more accurately, an understanding of just how crazy youll go if you spend one more second in your apartment). On the other end of the spectrum? The hot girl walk, a TikTok trend started by TikToker Mia (the hashtag has nearly 50 million views) where you go on a walk and think about the things youre grateful for, your goals and how youre going to achieve them, and, of course, how hot you are.

Walking is the most popular physical activity in the world, and one of the healthiest things we can do for our bodies," says Apples senior director of fitness technologies Jay Blahnik, who helped introduce the Apple Fitness+ audio walking experience feature, which invites users to walk while immersing themselves in the narrative of an influential person, like country icon Dolly Parton or Uzo Aduba. Even throughout this challenging period of time, one activity that has remained available to many is walking. According to a Rockport survey, 53% of us are walking one to five miles more per day compared to pre-pandemic statisticsand we have every reason to keep it up.

The world of psychedelic wellness continues to increase in size and scope. The U.S. is seeing a boom in once-underground hallucinogens such as ketamine, LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin being explored as treatments for mental health issues like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current model for treating problems like anxiety and depression just isnt very good, explains Frederick Streeter Barrett, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a faculty member at the universitys recently opened Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research. Patients take pills every day, for years, and these medications not only have nasty side effects, they often dont even work. But with psychedelics-assisted therapy, theres the potential to truly alter someones life with just one or two sessions, because youre getting at suffering at the source. With it, there has also been a rise in psychedelic retreats and groups, such as the Ancestor Project (formerly known as the Sabina Project), a Black-founded collective offering psychedelic education and safe and inclusive ceremonies with the goal of healing the BIPOC communities that need it most. There is a lot of fear and shame around the use of these medicines that have been categorized as drugs by the same system that created the War on Drugs, which has been used to oppress our communities for decades, Charlotte James, cofounder of the Ancestor Project, told Vogue earlier this year. The truth is, these medicines come from our traditions. As the narrative around psychedelics shifts and they continue to re-emerge in the medical and mental health space, it's important that treatment access is safe and culturally sensitive.

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence

Psychedelic Anti-Racism: The Workbook

The more technology there is, the more us humans are eager to explore how we can monitor our health and increase our longevity. And thats where the next generation of wearable devices continues to disrupt and fuel better health habits through their data and insights. Building on its comprehensive set of health tools, the Apple Watch 7.0 series introduced a blood oxygen sensor, which can be an overall signifier of wellness and, in the time of COVID-19, is particularly useful given that low oxygen levels can be an early warning sign of the virus. Then theres the latest model of the sleek Oura ring (a favorite of Expectful CEO Nathalie Walton), a sleep and activity tracker that offers key health metrics (body temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate variability, and sleep quality) to determine your personal readiness score, an optimal one meaning youve had enough quality sleep and your healthy activity-rest balance is in check. While in the past, wearables have been criticized for gamifying health and fitness, their future is looking much more holistic and focused on general wellness and balance.

For people who menstruate, navigating the ups and downs of the global pandemic has resulted in upended cycles and exacerbated symptoms. A silver lining of this is that we as individuals and a society are becoming more progressive when it comes to menstruation. This shifting perspective has come with the growth of female-led companies pioneering a new space for menstrual care, from newcomer Looni, a platform dedicated to helping individuals who suffer from menstrual cycle and endometriosis pain, to the Period Company, founded by stylist Karla Welch and creative director Sasha Markova, which is not only shedding light on the environmental impact of tampon and pad usage (producing about 200,000 tons of waste a year in the U.S. alone), but offering stylish and affordable period underwear with unique, leak-prevention technology as an alternative. And in the spirit of equitable access to period supplies, the company is dedicated to giving back, offering a community donation program and partnering with organizations like the Pad Project, a company dedicated to achieving menstrual equity. Theres a long way to go, but the next year is bound to be filled with more advancements in the menstruation space, from innovative, stigma-fighting offerings to much-needed eco-friendly strategies.

The Period Company The Heavy Period High Waisted

The Honey Pot Menstrual Cup

Wherever you fall on the eating-style spectrum, theres probably a buzzy new term for it. Two newer terms are flexitarianism (a combination of flexible and vegetarian) and reducetarian (committing to eating less meat and dairy and fewer eggs), and one thing they both have in common is: eating fewer animal products. This notion is more relevant than ever as a third of Americans and almost half of Europeans say theyre eating less meat than they did a year ago. As a result, the plant-based market is continuing to boom, and its becoming increasingly easy to find worthy alternatives to the animal products that used to be consumed more regularly. For those who still eat animal products, reducetarianism and whole food, plant-centric diets like the Nordic diet are emphasizing the importance of high-quality and sustainably sourced animal products, like river-caught salmon and pasture-raised eggs. Needless to say, this growing plant-forward mentality is not only better for our health, but our planet as well.

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Sarah Jessica Parker answers all of our 73 questions:

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5 Wellness Trends That Are Only Set to Grow in 2022 - Vogue

Over the festive season, we all have a similar tendency to turn-off completely. The holidays bring with them a time to finally relax before the start of the new year. Often, were so burnt out from the year that we tend to simply lounge on the couch and feast our eyes on Netflix or holiday classics. But completely neglecting brain-boosting activitiesover this time is likely not a good idea. In fact, whenever youre on holiday from work, you should keep up some sort of brain training. Reading is perhaps one of the easiest ways to do this and simultaneously allows you to transport yourself into another world.

Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels

If you count yourself as one of those who is obsessed with books and reading, it seems that you could do a lot worse. The benefits associated with it are amazing, wide-ranging, and long-lasting. As strange as it may sound, reading seems to change your mind. This, in the most literal sense.

Through MRI scans, researchers have been able to confirm that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. The networks that are developed viareading also grow stronger and more sophisticated with time. Essentially, this means thatthe more you read and the more frequently you do it, the more your brain benefits. A study conducted in 2013 used functional MRI scans to ascertain the effect of reading a novel on the brain.

It used the novel Pompeii which participants read over the course of 9 days. Results showed that, as the story built to climax and became tenser, more parts of the brain lit up. Brain scans of the participants showed that during reading and even for days following the experiment, brain connectivity increased substantially.

Other studies have shown that the occipital lobe (which is the visual processing center of the brain) was more developed in readers than in non-readers. What this means is that readers can process information faster and more efficiently than their non-reading counterparts. A more highly developed occipital lobe has also been linked to enhanced imagination and creativity skills and even better decision-making skills.

But I can hear you saying, I need the break or its a time to tune out the outside world. And I totally agree. But reading should never be seen as a chore or something you have to do. The benefits of reading make it an exceptionally good hobby to pick up.

Youll also find that when you keep your brain active over the holidays, youll feel better about getting back into work. In fact, getting back into work-life will likely be made easier by keeping your brain active.

Its also good to note here that you dont necessarily need a physical book. Personally, I prefer the feeling of a book in my hands. But then, Im rather a traditionalist.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

You could also opt for a digital format or even an audiobook. Personally, if Im super busy and feel I cant manage to sit down and read, I choose an audiobook instead. Listening to an audiobook allows you to continue doing chores or other tasks (like cooking or baking) whilst still getting wrapped up and carried away by the story.

Author Kristen Willeumier, Ph.D. explains that when it comes to reading and listening, they havemany similarities. In both cases, the brain is functioning at a higher level. Whether you are reading a physical book or listening to an audiobook makes very little difference cognition-wise.

This is because listening requires similar processes. You still need to exercise your comprehension skills and the brain still has to work to connect different aspects of the story. It also necessitates maintaining consistent focus in order to understand the storyline. However, there are some differences.

One of the major differences in the way in which the brain is activated. When you are reading print, the left side of the brain activates. This is the side of the brain that is associated with the processing aspect of language. However, when youre listening to something, both your left and right brain activate. However, whether its in audio format or not, the actual processing of the information occurs in the same areas of the brain.

One major benefit of listening to an audiobook rather than reading physical print is the development of greater empathy. Listening allows you to hear the emotion in the narrators voice. When youre listening to something, the emotional circuits in the brain activate. This acts to increase understanding and heighten imagery. Ultimately, this means that your imagination is more engaged. This often leads to greater enjoyment of the book.

Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev from Pexels

The holidays can be an exceptionally stressful time, and reading might well help to calm you. Perhaps the biggest benefit associated with reading is the stress relief factor. Stress is believed to be one of the biggest causes of illness. In fact, its said to contribute to about 60% of all human illnesses and diseases.

Stress can increase the risk of strokes and heart disease by 50% and 40%, respectively. A 2009 study conducted by the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress levels by as much as 68%. The study found that just six minutes of reading slowed heart rates and reduced muscle tension substantially.

The festive season seems to have a way of keeping us all up much later than usual. Also, most of us are completely attached to our smartphones, and its no surprise that we tend to use them even just before we turn the lights off.

However, multiple studies have shown that using your phone just before bed can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule and may make it even more difficult to fall asleep. Instead of scrolling mindlessly, you could try reading a book. Research by the Mayo Clinic suggests that creating some kind of routine that involves reading a book can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.

Aging brings with it a steady mental decline, and tasks that were once simple can become more difficult. It seems that if youre looking to slow or even stop cognitive decline, reading could be the answer. In fact, some studies have shown that reading regularly may even help to prevent severe diseases like Alzheimers.

A 2013 study found that reading may slow brain function decline and help with the prevention of dementia and related cognitive diseases. This research also found that participants who engaged in reading and other mentally stimulating activities in [both] early and late-life were less likely to show physical evidence of dementia

https://time.com/5388681/audiobooks-reading-books/

Does Listening to a Book Have the Same Brain Benefits as Reading? Here’s What a Neuroscientist Has To Say

https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books#strengthens-the-brain

https://thebestbrainpossible.com/reading-improves-brain-memory-stress/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/five-ways-reading-can-imp_b_12456962

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313429#5)-Reading-may-boost-intelligence

https://www.pyhotelsandresorts.com/en/blog/three-benefits-of-reading/

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Why Reading Should Be A Priority This Holiday Season - Longevity LIVE - Longevity LIVE

While piperine's solo health benefits are certainly nothing to scoff at, its role as a bio-enhancer is what makes it a truly valuable ingredient in food, supplements, and beyond. It's why you grind a little fresh pepper into your golden milk, and you better believe it's the reason mbg chose black pepper fruit extract as one of the ingredients in our plant-centric multivitamin formula (that these doctors, scientists, nutritionists, and more are raving about).

The botanical bioactive we boost with piperine is resveratrol from Japanese knotweed root extract.* On its own, resveratrol is a powerful phytonutrient that promotes cognitive function, aids cardiovascular health, and supports the immune system.*Unfortunately, it's tough for the human body to take advantage of resveratrol's health properties because it metabolizes rapidly. When paired with piperine, resveratrol's bioavailability is increased and the duo becomes a botanical longevity powerhouse that combats oxidative stress, supports cellular resilience, and protects mitochondrial health.*

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This Powerful Ingredient Gives Multivitamins A Big Boost Here's How - mindbodygreen.com

As we age, we all ponder the question: how long will we live?

Now scientists say they are progressing on an anti-ageing vaccine.

Already there are medicines which slow the progress of certain life-threatening diseases, for example, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved medications that fall into two categories: drugs that may change disease progression in people living with Alzheimers disease, and drugs that may temporarily mitigate some symptoms of Alzheimers.

Professor Toru Minamino, of Juntendo University in Tokyo, Japan, believes he has taken a step toward boosting human longevity with successful trials of a vaccine to stop the cells that contribute to the ageing process.

How does it work?

In laboratory trials, a drug targeting a protein contained in senescent cells those which have naturally stopped reproducing themselves slowed the progression of frailty in older mice. The vaccine also successfully targeted the same cells in fatty tissue and blood vessels, suggesting it could have a positive impact on other medical conditions linked to ageing.

We can expect that (the vaccine) will be applied to the treatment of arterial stiffening, diabetes and other ageing-related diseases, Professor Minamino told Japans Jiji news agency.

Cellular senescence is thought to contribute to the ageing process itself, as well as ageing-related diseases like Alzheimers disease and some cancers.

Will it actually slow down ageing?

The biological process of ageing is very complex; therefore it is unlikely that one single strategy will completely stop it or reverse it, said Dr Salvador Macip, head of the University of Leicesters Mechanisms of Cancer and Ageing Lab in the UK.

However, there are probably many ways to slow it down, and clearing senescent cells seems to be one of the easiest and potentially more effective.

The field of anti-ageing research is advancing very fast. In the last decade, there have been many key discoveries.

The person that will take the first anti-ageing pill has probably already been born.

As always, this type of research raises more questions than answers namely, is this vaccine just a money-spinner?

Related

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How long do you really want to live? - The Donaldson Sisters - The Donaldson Sisters

The festive vacation season can be particularly difficult for those struggling with addiction those who have not yet come to terms with their substance abuse, the recently rehabilitated as well as the families of addicts. Being prepared is the best way to navigate through the season of excesses. Des Wilkinson, Clinical Psychologist at Riverview Manor, advises.

Both addicts and their families and friends can avoid the pitfalls of overindulgence, remove obvious temptations such as alcohol and be on the lookout to help those who are most vulnerable.

The festive seasons gives people time to sit back and review the year. For many, 2021 has been even more difficult than 2020 with the protracted Covid-19 pandemic. This has lead to the loss of loved ones as well as jobs and businesses causing financial loss and sparking anger and fear.

In 2021, we experienced a marked increase in the number of people seeking help at Riverview Manor. The abuse of alcohol as well as prescription and over the counter medication grew as more and more people became overwhelmed by the loss of loved ones, their jobs and perhaps even rising levels of debt.

Those who are most vulnerable at this time of year are those who are isolated.

For many of us, Christmas is a time to relax, to celebrate, to engage meaningfully with friends and family. There is an expectation of gatherings, celebrations and indulgence. Where these expectations are not met either through bereavement, family conflict or separation due to translocation, Christmas can be lonely and depressing. Theres nothing more disheartening than witnessing others joyfully preparing for the festivities. Everywhere you go your space is invaded by lights, the sounds of carols and smiling and laughing groups.

But those who are struggling with isolation and dependence may start to fantasize about replacing family and friends with indulgence in alcohol or drugs to anaesthetize the feelings of loneliness, isolation and despair. Active substance abusers will submit to the temptations willy-nilly, he warns.

Some are in recovery and for whom Christmas is a tremendous temptation.

Re-commit to the recovery process: Actively engage in recovery programs such as AA, NA or the Smart recovery program will benefit from redoubling their efforts to maintain recovery. The festive season could even invite a re-commitment to the process.

Avoid triggers as much as possible: , Ensure there is something to do, or attend, or watch to distract from temptation. Attend as many meetings as possible especially those who meet on the holidays. If you have a sponsor, keep in constant contact.

Families and friends of addicts possibly face even more challenges. These extend beyond simply removing obvious temptations.

Include in your family activities: It is difficult to love an addict and ostracizing him or her may seem the easier choice. But there is an alternative. Try including the addict in as many of the activities as possible: in the conversation, in the games and in the rituals whilst always being mindful of the whereabouts and the behavioural patterns of the addict.

Watch the Ted Talk Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong, and you will learn that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, but actually a connection.

It is inherent to the human condition that we bond. We bond with our family, our job, our sports club or our hobbies/interests. If we do not succeed in connecting with any of these, we may seek out substances that mimic the sensation of bonding. This however is an illusion and leads to the very dangerous go to habits such as consuming alcohol, narcotics, eating or gambling. This usually results in further isolation resulting in a destructive vicious circle: consuming more which leads to further isolation.

The temptations of the festive season live on after the party is over. Watch out for the tell-tale behavioural signs that could indicate the return to old destructive habits. This could include the addicts starting to isolate or sneak off. It could include depression or agitation. Be encouraging and empathic when these behaviours are present and affirm the persons successes over the festive holidays.

Most of all, be patient and as soon as the Christmas lights are back in the box and it is business as usual. Seek out professional help.

DesT Wilkinson Clinical Psychologist read for BA in psychology and systematic theology at Rhodes University. He completed BA(Hons) at Rhodes and moved to Unisa where he completed his Masters in clinical psychology.

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Psychologist Offers Advice On Addiction This Vacation - Longevity LIVE - Longevity LIVE

Thomas James "T.J." Cloutier was born in Albany, California, on October 23, 1939. Cloutier started his professional poker career in 1976.

Cloutier had an illustrious career winning six WSOP bracelets and is the sole player to win events in all three variants of Omaha: Limit High, Pot Limit High, and Limit 8-or-Better High-low Split in WSOP history. Cloutier also has final-tabled. In addition, he is the only player to be runners-up in the WSOP Main Event twice.

In 2006, Cloutier's name was in the history book as he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. He was also voted twice as the Cardplayer's player of the year in 1998 and 2002.

Cloutier has also authored numerous poker books, and he even co-authored the Championship Hold 'em book with Tom McEvoy.

Cloutier has $10,444,516 live career earnings, more than $4,675,00 coming from WSOP events and placing him on 93rd position on the Hendon Mob All Time Money List. Unlike most top poker pros, Cloutier has never won more than six figures in a single event, and his earnings are a result of his career longevity.

Year

Event

Winnings

1987

$1,000 Omaha Hi

$72,000

1994

$1,500 Limit Omaha 8 or Better

$135,000

1994

$2,500 Pot-Limit Holdem

$163,000

1998

$2,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi

$136,000

2004

$1,500 Seven-Card Razz

$90,500

2005

$5,000 No-Limit Holdem

$657,100

Terrance Chan, a fellow poker player Cloutier in 2006, wrote on his blog: " T.J. has lost more money at craps than possibly any human being alive. Obviously, he's just a poor craps player, and one should bet against him, not with him."

Cloutier's financial struggle was evident when his WSOP bracelet, which he won in a $5000 No-Limit Hold 'em event in 2005, was put up in an online auction by the Plano Pawn Shop and sold for $4.0006 on eBay in 2010.

In addition, another pro, Grayson "the dean22" Nichols, mentioned in the PocketFives forum that Cloutier has faced financial issues in the past:"I remember a couple of years ago, going to play in a $100 rebuy at the Orleans Hotel with Steve' gboro780' Gross and Ari Engel. We get registered for the maybe 60 person field, and we see Cloutier just hanging around, bumming the free hot dogs asking for a stake in the tournament. (It) looks like this isn't a new development."

Cloutier finally admitted in 2013, while being interviewed by a poker reporter, that he had lost a lot of money while playing craps.

"It used to be an issue, but not nearly as much as everyone thinks. The only time I played really high was when I had their money. So I mean over the years, sure, I've lost some money at it, because what the hell, it's a game.. it's an addictive game for Christ's sake, but I still play once in a while, but not for any kind of money anymore", Cloutier stated.

The Poker Hall of Famer appears to be in desperate need of financial assistance, and it is not shocking since losing $10,000,000 at the Pits will make most people broke.

Read more from the original source:
The Rise and Fall of T. J. Cloutier - HighstakesDB

Eels were once so abundant that they were considered a pest, but today the ancient creature is threatened by human activity and risks disappearing altogether, scientists and environmentalists warn.

How have eel populations changed?

Eels appear in human mythology and ancient art, and their bones have been found in tombs dating back thousands of years.

Just thirty years ago, they were so common that in France they were even classed a nuisance, accused of damaging salmon stock and destroying fishing lines.

"When I was young, eels were in every river and estuary," said French researcher Eric Feunteun, a leading expert on the creature.

"My grandmother had a cafe... and sometimes customers who were down on their luck would bring a bucket of young eel to pay for their coffee," he said.

In less than half a century, the situation has changed radically: the European eel's population is now just 10 percent of its 1960-70s level.

"We sounded the alarm in the 1980s," explained Feunteun, a marine ecology professor at France's National Museum of Natural History, but it wasn't until 2007 that the European Union required its members to protect the species.

The European eel now appears on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's critically endangered list, with its Japanese and American cousins just one category behind, on the endangered list.

What threatens eel populations?

The eel's complex life cycle makes it vulnerable to a wide range of human activity, including overfishing of a species that is a much-loved delicacy in Asia.

But that pressure is far from the only thing driving eel decline.

"We've known since the 1980s that there are multiple reasons and that fishing probably isn't the main factor," said Feunteun.

He points out that polluting waterways with contaminants like pesticides, medicines and plasticisers has a much greater effect, including on eels' reproductive capacity.

Habitat destruction also plays a significant role, according to Andrew Kerr, president of the Sustainable Eel Group.

He points to the "draining of three quarters of the wetlands of Europe. And then the one million plus barriers to fish migration in the rivers, like dams."

"So we basically destroyed the eel's habitat. And that's what's really killed it off," he told AFP.

Climate change is also a factor, shifting marine currents that carry eels from their spawning grounds in tropical waters to the rivers and estuaries where they will spend most of their lives.

Longer and slower routes mean higher mortality rates for young eels as they drift towards coastlines.

How are eels being protected?

Since 2012, Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea have cooperated on conserving the Japanese eel found in their waters, including with fishing quotas.

But fishing limits alone are insufficient, experts say.

Other efforts include programs that range from helping eels over migration barriers, to moving young eels from areas where they are abundant to places where they are in decline.

Elsewhere, dams that can trap, injure and kill eels as they migrate have been adapted, and systems to trace them and interrupt trafficking have also been introduced.

More is needed though, experts say, including on habitat protection.

"It won't take long for the other 16 species of eels to get on the endangered list. So we have to have a global approach to safeguarding the eel," said Kerr.

What about artificial reproduction?

The eel has proved resistant to reproducing naturally in captivity and artificial fertilization is possible but expensive.

"The reproductive rate is low and it takes a long time for the (juvenile) glass eels to grow," said Ryusuke Sudo of the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency in the Izu region, southwest of Tokyo.

Scientists have also never observed eel larvae eating in the wild, so their preferred food remains a mystery. They grow slower in captivity and each eel requires individual human intervention to reproduce.

Could the eel disappear?

Eels are believed to have been around for 60-70 million years, and have not diversified much, with just 19 species and subspecies in the Anguilla genus.

For all their longevity, much about them remains a mystery, with scientists only recently pinpointing the first spawning grounds.

In some ways, eels are "super-adapted", said Feunteun. They are able to breed in areas where most fish could not find food, because eel young can feed on "marine snow", dead and decaying plant and animal matter that drifts down the water column.

But the long distances they migrate and disperse leave them vulnerable.

"Seventy million years of existence and 40 years of decline," as Feunteun puts it.

Still, he holds out some hope.

"It's a species that has shown during previous climatic changes that it can rebound from very few individuals," he said.

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70 million years on earth, 40 years of decline: the endangered eel - Japan Today