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Aging

·May 9, 2024·4 min read

Turn Back Time: How Our Cells’ Noise Could Unlock Youth

A new study uncovered that aging clocks, which assess biological age, do so by measuring stochastic changes in cellular processes, particularly in DNA methylation. These clocks indicate that biological age, influenced by lifestyle and environmental factors, can deviate significantly from chronological age.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 2, 2024·5 min read

Staying Active Mid-Age Boosts Women’s Health Later

A new study found that maintaining or adopting regular physical activity during middle age can significantly improve women's health-related quality of life later. Analyzing data from over 11,000 participants, the study discovered that women who met WHO physical activity guidelines consistently or began meeting them by age 55 experienced higher physical health scores compared to inactive peers. The findings underscore the long-term benefits of consistent physical activity, particularly in enhancing physical functioning in later life.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 30, 2024·5 min read

Loneliness Peaks in Youth and Old Age

A new study revealed a U-shaped pattern of loneliness across the lifespan, with higher levels in younger and older adults and the lowest during middle adulthood. The research identified risk factors for loneliness including social isolation, lower education, and physical impairments.

This shows an older man using a cell phone.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 28, 2024·5 min read

Let’s Talk: Web-Based Chats Boost Brain Function in Older Adults

Internet-based conversations can significantly improve cognitive functions in socially isolated older adults. The trial, known as I-CONECT, involved 186 participants aged 75 and older who engaged in structured video chats four times weekly, which helped enhance memory and executive function, particularly among those with mild cognitive impairment.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 23, 2024·5 min read

Cycle of Decline: Neuron Aging in Alzheimer’s Unraveled

Neurons in Alzheimer’s disease patients tend to re-enter the cell cycle and quickly progress to senescence. Using advanced snRNA-seq techniques, researchers analyzed over 30,000 nuclei to track these changes, finding that these neurons often fail to complete the cell cycle and instead show signs of aging.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 22, 2024·5 min read

Perceptions of Old Age Starting Later

Middle-aged and older adults now perceive the onset of old age to occur later in life compared to previous generations. Analyzing data from the German Ageing Survey, which spanned 25 years and involved 14,056 participants, researchers noted that individuals born later consistently viewed old age as beginning at a later age.

This shows a person on top of a mountain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 22, 2024·5 min read

From Teen Dreams to Adult Achievements: Early Goals Shape Success

A new study reveals how adolescents' life goals evolve into young adulthood and significantly impact their educational and occupational outcomes. The study found that high aspirations in prestige and education during adolescence are strong predictors of higher income, job complexity, and occupational prestige twelve years later.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 17, 2024·3 min read

Thought Provoking Work May Reduce Later Life Cognitive Decline

Engaging in complex, thought-provoking work may lower the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older age. Conducted by researchers at Oslo University Hospital, the study analyzed job demands of over 7,000 people across 305 occupations in Norway, linking higher cognitive job demands in one's 30s through 60s to a reduced incidence of MCI post-70.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 15, 2024·5 min read

Childhood Trauma Impacts Muscle Function in Later Life

Adverse childhood experiences can detrimentally affect muscle function in older adults by impairing mitochondrial activity necessary for energy production. The study analyzed muscle biopsies from over 870 participants aged 70 and older, linking reported childhood adversities with reduced production of ATP, the energy currency of cells.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 9, 2024·6 min read

Cannabis Use Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

Recreational cannabis use may be associated with a significant decrease in the odds of experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in adults over 45. Analyzing data from the CDC's 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, researchers found that recreational users had 96% lower odds of reporting SCD compared to non-users.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·April 8, 2024·4 min read

Pregnancy’s Toll: Accelerated Aging in Young Mothers

Pregnancy may accelerate biological aging in women. Utilizing advanced epigenetic clocks to measure DNA methylation, researchers compared the biological age of women with varying numbers of pregnancies against those who had never been pregnant, revealing that increased pregnancies correlate with signs of accelerated aging.

This shows a young woman working on a computer.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 6, 2024·5 min read

Early Career Work Schedules Tied to Midlife Health Risks

Nonstandard work schedules early in life correlate with poorer health outcomes at middle age. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979, the research examines over 30 years of employment patterns and their impacts on sleep quality, physical, and mental health by age 50.