Aging

As life expectancies increase, so does the number of elderly people undergoing surgical procedures.    Recently, there has been growing about potential neurotoxicity of anesthetics and their role in post-operative cognitive decline. Alzheimer's Disease(AD) is a devastating disease most commonly found in elderly people. It is manifested by severe memory loss, language problems, impaired decision making and affected activities of daily living. In the absence of either a single coherent etiological model to explain the cause of Alzheimer's or an effective treatment, a consistent part…

There are three key factors associated with what gerontologists call "successful aging" - avoiding disease, maintaining physical and cognitive function, and continuing social engagement in late life.  But why do some groups clearly have those factors more than others?While conducting studies of Amish families in Indiana and Ohio, a group of researchers began to notice that a significant number of people over age 80 in these communities demonstrated those three main factors associated with successful aging.   They colleagues investigated the genetic differences between Amish…

One of the most recognized markers of cellular aging is the progressive accumulation of damage in the DNA, a molecule that cannot tolerate the alteration of the genetic information coded in its bases. For some, it is also at the root of the aging process itself. Excessive errors accumulating in the DNA molecule trigger signals that halt proliferation of the damaged cells. Some speculate that when a considerable number of these “old” cells accumulate within a tissue, or when a particularly crucial type of cell in the hierarchy of the tissue - the stem/progenitor cells - is hit,…

New research suggests that walking at least six miles per week may protect brain size and in turn, preserve memory in old age.  For the study, 299 dementia-free people recorded the number of blocks they walked in one week. Then nine years later, scientists took brain scans of the participants to measure their brain size. After four more years, the participants were tested to see if they had developed cognitive impairment or dementia. The study found that people who walked at least 72 blocks per week, or roughly six to nine miles, had greater gray matter volume than people who didn't walk…

A new study published in Cell Metabolism says it has increased the lifespan of middle-aged mice by 12% using a combination of three amino acids as supplements. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) have extended life span in yeast but this is the first time these amino acids have been shown to work in mammals, the researchers say.  In their study, some mice were fed a BCAA-enriched mixture (BCAAem) that contained the three amino acids (Leucine, isoleucine and valine) and it increased their average life span, improved muscle, and provided enhanced physical endurance.    They also…

A major blow to the free radical theory of aging, which has lead the research in aging for more than 50 years and fuels a multimillionaire anti-aging industry has just been published by Portuguese scientists from the University of Minho. According to the theory, free radicals provoke oxidative damage and this is the cause of aging. The new work, however, shows that not only is possible to slow down aging in cells with high levels of oxidation but more, that a free radical (H2O2) is behind the high longevity seen with low caloric diets (a well known method to increase lifespan) turning upside…

There are some Happy Coffins from Singapore challenging death's taboos. Today, designer coffins deck a nursing home where three residents fulfill their pre-departure wishes about how their final resting places should look.  "Without any fear," Elsie Chua said, "I am not afraid to talk about my eventual departure. It is very meaningful to be able to shape the design of my coffin and see it before I die.   I want to have a matching kebaya to go along."  A kebaya is a traditional Straits Chinese garment for women.  The art of dying Elsie's wish was granted through an…

Ashwgandha (means the plant roots when harvested fresh smell like ashwa or horse ) ( Withania sominfera ) roots are given in dried and powdered form as capsule , powder etc and its is supposed to delay degenration of neurons. It prevents from dimentia old age memory loss and provides vitality. NAGORI ashwaganda is famous for its efficacy in comparison to other ashwagandha However there is need to undertake clinical trials on this plant.

A reality check on“healthy aging.”  The real troubles - and opportunities - of a gero-nation go unheeded. The numbers are increasingly disturbing: By 2050, some 88 million Americans will be over 65, with more than 20 million over 85. That such huge demographic shifts portend a challenge to the medical system goes without saying.  The traditional American response holds that such needs will be filled by an innovative business culture responsive to market demand. But that simply has not happened. American business have had two decades of demographic forecasting to respond to the basic…

We're not joking; a sense of humor helps to keep people healthy and increases their chances of at least reaching retirement age, though after the age of 70 the health benefits of humor decrease, say researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The study has just been published in the International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine and was composed of an examination of records from 53,500 individuals after after seven years. The study was based on a comprehensive database from the second Nor-Trøndelag Health Study, called HUNT 2, which is comprised of health…