Neanderthals carb loaded, helping grow their big brains
Article courtesy of Ann Gibbons for Science Here’s another blow to the popular image of Neanderthals as brutish meat eaters: A new study of bacteria collected from Neanderthal teeth shows that our close cousins ate so many roots, nuts, or other starchy foods that they[...]
Intermittent Fasting Boosts Long-Term Memory Retention
Original article from Technology Networks A new study from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has established that Intermittent Fasting (IF) is an effective means of improving long term memory retention and generating new adult hippocampal neurons in mice, in[...]
How to Reach 100 Years of Age Without Cognitive Decline
Article courtesy of Emeran Mayer, MD Two recent articles in the New York Times addressed the topic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), one based on a recent scientific publication that showed resilience and resistance to develop cognitive decline in centenarians, the other one addressing the recent controversial[...]
The Brain of an Elderly Person
Article by Dr. P.K. Gupta The director of the George Washington University College of Medicine argues that the brain of an elderly person is much more plastic than is commonly believed. At this age, the interaction of the right and left hemispheres of the brain becomes[...]
Loneliness May Triple Dementia Risk
Article from MedPageToday Dementia incidence tripled in lonely older adults who otherwise would be expected to have relatively low risk based on age and genes, researchers found. Lonely older people under age 80 without an APOE4 allele had a threefold greater risk of dementia (adjusted HR[...]
Brain Aging Markers Tied to Inflammatory Foods
Article courtesy of MedPageToday Diets high in inflammatory foods were linked with global markers of brain aging and cerebral small vessel disease on MRI, a cross-sectional study showed. Compared with anti-inflammatory diets, those considered pro-inflammatory on the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) were associated with smaller total[...]
World’s oldest practicing doctor turns 100: ‘Retirement is the enemy of longevity’
The Cleveland neurologist shares habits that have allowed his body and brain to stay healthy. Original article from TODAY By A. Pawlowski Ask Dr. Howard Tucker about people who want to retire early and he’s incredulous. At 100, the neurologist has been working in medicine[...]
Midlife Omega-3 Levels Tied to Brain Structure, Cognition
Article courtesy of MedPageToday Omega-3 fatty acid concentrations in red blood cells were linked with brain structure and cognitive function in midlife, an exploratory cross-sectional study showed. In about 2,200 people with an average age of 46, a higher omega-3 index was associated with a larger[...]
11 Myths About Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, and millions of Americans are affected by the disease. It’s important to distinguish the facts from the myths about Alzheimer’s, especially when it comes to finding information online. Read on to learn about common[...]
Similar brain ‘thinning’ seen in older adults with obesity and people with Alzheimer’s
Article courtesy of Live Science A new study links obesity to patterns of brain tissue loss that overlap with those seen in Alzheimer's disease. The brains of older adults with obesity show patterns of gray matter loss that are strikingly similar to those seen in people[...]
Can Optimism Help You Live Longer?
This is for all of us who are battling the long winter weather blues! Article by Jill Horne appeared on the blog for Emeran Mayer Evidence from longevity research studies suggests that optimism may be key factor influencing healthy aging and lifespan, independent of lifestyle factors[...]
100-year-old sisters share 4 tips for staying mentally sharp as you age—and they don’t say crossword puzzles
Article courtesy of CNBC Centenarian Ruth Sweedler has impressive recall and can make good conversation about what’s going on in the world. Over the years, strangers and family members alike have commented on it. “My doctor loves to talk to me,” Sweedler says. “He’d say, ‘You’re[...]
Pets Help to Protect Your Brain as You Get Older
Original article published in Science Alert ~~ Sometimes what's good for your heart is also good for your brain. A recent study of US adults over 50 found that those who owned a pet for more than five years scored better on cognitive memory tests[...]
Star Scientist’s Claim of ‘Reverse Aging’ Draws Hail of Criticism
Original Wall Street Journal article found here. Harvard geneticist David Sinclair, who has said his “biological age” is roughly a decade younger than his actual one, has put forward his largely unlined face as a spokesman for the longevity movement. The 54-year-old has built his[...]
Centenarians Possess Unique Immunity That Helps Them Achieve Exceptional Longevity
Original article from Neuroscience News ~~ Summary: Centenarians harbor a unique immune cell type, immune activity, and highly functioning immune system that has adapted to a history of illness, allowing for exceptional longevity. Source: Boston University There are approximately 30 trillion cells in a human[...]
Mammals That Have Strong Social Bonds Live Longer
Article originally published in The Guardian ~~ Mammals that live in groups generally have longer lifespans than solitary species, new research into nearly 1,000 different animals suggests. Scientists from China and Australia compared 974 mammal species, analyzing longevity and how they tended to be socially organized.[...]
To Live Past 100, Mangia Less: Italian Expert’s Ideas on Aging
Original article seen in the New York Times ~~ Most members of the band subscribed to a live-fast-die-young lifestyle. But as they partook in the drinking and drugging endemic to the 1990s grunge scene after shows at the Whisky a Go Go, Roxy and other[...]
Studies show fasting can help you live longer
Original article appeared in National Geographic ~~ Valter Longo spent childhood summers in Molochio, the village in the Calabria region of southern Italy where his parents were born. It happens to have a high concentration of centenarians. Longo grew up to earn a Ph.D. in[...]
Plant vs. omnivore diet yields significant results in twins
A 2023 study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine followed 59 patients with type 2 diabetes as they were placed on a low-fat, plant-predominant diet for six months. By the end of the study, after just six months, 37% of the patients, whose average[...]
Meet the World’s Oldest Practicing Physician: At 100, Dr. Howard Tucker Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
Article courtesy of Good News There are all kinds of jaw-dropping, record-breaking feats chronicled by Guinness World Records, but the one set by neurologist Dr. Howard Tucker in 2021 is surely one of the more inspirational ones. Tucker was verified to be the world’s oldest practicing[...]
Does trusting your doctor’s ‘gut feeling’ lead to better care?
Excerpted from National Geography article Whether it’s called a gut instinct, a sixth sense, or a strong hunch, new research is supporting a process that blends rapid judgments and perceptions that occur outside of conscious awareness—a way of knowing something without knowing how[...]
What wild chimps can teach humans about healthy aging
Article courtesy of National Geographic Research on the health of former lab animals shows that for chimpanzees, and probably for people, “it’s not physical activity, but inactivity, that makes us frail.” When Auntie Rose died in early 2007, she was the oldest wild chimpanzee known to[...]
People who live to 100 have unique gut bacteria signatures
Article courtesy of Live Science These bacteria could contribute to a healthy gut and, in turn, healthy aging. People who live to age 100 and beyond may have special gut bacteria that help ward off infections, according to a new study from Japan. The results suggest[...]
The Search for a Pill That Can Help Dogs—and Humans—Live Longer
Article courtesy of WIRED People have been searching for a fountain of youth for thousands of years. Celine Halioua thinks she’s found one—for canines. Be patient, we’re next.CELINE HALIOUA DROPS into a crouch and greets Bocce, a Chihuahua-dachshund mix with soulful brown eyes, like a long-lost[...]
Optimism Linked To Longevity And Well-Being In Two Recent Studies
Article courtesy of The National Institute on Aging Optimism is linked to a longer lifespan in women from diverse racial and ethnic groups, and to better emotional health in older men, according to two NIA-funded studies. One study showed that the previously established link between optimism[...]