Extreme Longevity

Progeria is a rare disease in which children age very rapidly, acquire diseases of the elderly and typically die in teenage years with the phenotypical appearance of the elderly. The disease has been found to occur due to mutations in the LMNA gene which codes for the nuclear envelope proteins called lamin-A and lamin-B.  These proteins are responsible for the security and integrity of the nuclear [...]

The nematode C Elegans is extensively used for the study of lifespan regulation.  The simple 2000 cell organism only lives for 15 days so interventions which may prolong survival are quick and easy to measure.  Furthermore, the genome and metabolic pathways of the organism are well understood. It is known that worms can be induced to live more than double their lifespan by exposing them to environmental [...]

Add another one to the list of studies that fail to support the use of commonly used supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil are often ascribed significant health benefits. Mainly they are believed to reduce triglyceride levels and have protective effects against cardiovascular disease. However, through anti-inflammatory and possibly antiproliferation pathways it is hoped that they may help [...]

Silymarin is a plant compound found in Milk Thistle.  It is a biologically active molecule known as a flavonolignan. It has been used as an herbal medicine since antiquity though it has not been definitely proven beneficial in large scale placebo controlled trials. There is some evidence that the substance is protective to liver cells preventing them from toxin-induced cell death. Less clear evidence is [...]

Heart disease is the leading cause of death and increasingly common in a world where obesity is running rampant. When a heart attack occurs heart tissue is abruptly damaged and cells die.  Those cardiac muscle cells form into a scar which no longer contracts and no longer contributes to pumping the blood.  As people with cardiac disease have repeated heart attacks, the growing mass of scar tissue [...]

There is a very clear association: the less calories consumed the longer the lifespan. This is of course within limits – one can obviously die of starvation. Caloric restriction is generally limited to 25-20% less calories than needed to maintain ideal body weight and it practiced with adequate maintenance of vitamins, mineral, and nutrients. Many studies suggest such practice extends lifespan [...]

Resveratrol is a small polyphenol molecule found among other places in grapes. It has been theorized as responsible for the life extending benefits of red wine consumption and has been under increasing study in the laboratory. Research has previously suggested that resveratrol acts through activation of the sirtuin (SIR) gene family. This gene pathway, though controversial, has been implicated in [...]

The connectome refers to the comprehensive 3D structural and synaptic map of the brain. The brain is astoundingly complex in structure, composed of 100 billion nerve cells each connected to about 10,000 other nerve cells in 1000 quadrillion synapses.  It is this exact physical structure along with each synapse’s strength that determines exactly who we are and defines our conscious state. Some [...]

Modern science is hot on the heels of Alzheimer’s disease, a very common progressively dementing illness found late in life for which no effective treatment is available. Alzheimer’s occurs in part due to abnormal deposits of a toxic protein called beta amyloid in the brain.  A recent study showed that tau protein, another toxic substance found within the cells of Alzheimer’s [...]

Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered for the first time a new class of cellular proteins that live as long as the organism. Normally proteins are built from DNA instruction sets and are rapidly turned over, existing for usually no more than 2 days.  This is particularly important because over time proteins can be easily damaged by debris and reactive oxygen species abundant within cells. [...]