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Aging

·October 11, 2024·4 min read

Brain Endurance Training Combats Age-Related Decline in Focus

Brain endurance training (BET), a combined cognitive and exercise approach, has been shown to significantly improve cognitive and physical performance in older adults. In a study with sedentary women aged 65-78, BET participants showed greater improvements in attention and executive function, along with increased physical endurance. This method, originally developed for athletes, could play a role in reducing age-related cognitive decline and physical challenges such as balance issues.

This shows a cartoon of older people in a lab.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 7, 2024·5 min read

Life Expectancy Growth Slows, Focus Turns to Healthier Aging

Despite rapid advancements in medicine, a new study indicates that human life expectancy is approaching a biological ceiling, with gains in longevity slowing since the 1990s. Researchers argue that medical progress is providing diminishing returns in extending life expectancy, as age-related deterioration becomes the primary hurdle.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·October 2, 2024·4 min read

Targeting Protein Reduces Macular Degeneration Symptoms

New research identifies a protein, TIMP3, overproduced in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that may drive the disease’s progression. By targeting the enzyme linked to inflammation and drusen formation, scientists reduced early signs of AMD in stem cell models, offering hope for new treatments.

This shows an older woman, a clock, and DNA.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·October 1, 2024·5 min read

Cheek Swab Test Predicts Aging and Mortality Risk

Researchers have developed a second-generation epigenetic clock called CheekAge, which accurately predicts mortality risk using cheek cell samples. Unlike earlier clocks based on blood samples, CheekAge is non-invasive and captures methylation patterns linked to aging and lifespan.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 1, 2024·7 min read

How Diet Can Help Improve Brain Health

Research reveals that diets beneficial for heart health also support brain health, reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and folate promote brain development in early life and protect against mental decline as we age.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 24, 2024·5 min read

Cognitive Impacts of COVID Equivalent to 20 Years of Brain Aging

A new study reveals that 12-18 months after hospitalization for COVID-19, patients show significant cognitive decline comparable to 20 years of aging. MRI scans and blood tests also show brain injury markers and reduced brain volume in these patients. The findings suggest that COVID-19 has lasting effects on brain health, even in those without neurological complications.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 23, 2024·4 min read

Older Adults More Prone to Impulsive Financial Influence

People aged 60 and over are more likely to be influenced by others' impulsive financial decisions than younger adults. Researchers found that older participants, especially those with higher emotional empathy, were more likely to change their financial preferences after observing impulsive behavior. In contrast, younger adults tended to stick with their original financial choices.

This shows a drawing of a head and pencils.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 10, 2024·6 min read

Varied Cognitive Training Boosts Learning and Memory

New research shows that varied cognitive training, rather than repetitive tasks, helps older adults improve working memory. Participants who engaged in multiple types of memory exercises saw the greatest improvement compared to those who repeated the same task.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 9, 2024·4 min read

Study Sheds Light on Stem Cell Aging Process

Scientists identified key changes in chromosome structure and gene expression that contribute to stem cell exhaustion during aging. Using fruit flies, they discovered that blocking the gene ced-6 led to stem cell depletion, even in young organisms.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 5, 2024·4 min read

Critical Longevity Gene Discovered

Researchers have identified a protein called OSER1 that plays a key role in regulating longevity, offering new insights into why some people live longer than others. Found in humans and animals alike, OSER1 was discovered as part of a group of proteins linked to lifespan and aging.

This shows an older man with headphones, surrounded by musical notes.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 4, 2024·5 min read

Older Brains Work Harder to Remember Music

Older adults are just as capable as younger individuals of remembering familiar music, but their brains must work harder in certain areas. While memory-related brain regions are less active in older people, sensory-related areas become more engaged, compensating for reduced memory function.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·September 4, 2024·3 min read

Cadmium Exposure Linked to Memory Issues

A recent study explored the link between cadmium exposure and cognitive decline, finding that higher cadmium levels may be associated with thinking and memory problems in white people. The study followed 2,172 people over 10 years, with results showing no association overall but revealing a possible link when analyzing Black and white participants separately.