Although family history and lifestyle choices play a role, ageing is recognised to be the largest single risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Progression of Alzheimer’s disease is not well understood but accumulation of toxic amyloid peptides in the brain is…
Blog Archives
Long-Life Immunity
The primary function of the thymus is to produce mature T-cells and to implement controls to prevent auto-immunity. Lymphocyte precursors migrate from the bone-marrow to the thymus, where they become thymocytes and subsequently mature into T-cells. Since the T-cell repertoire…
Even in Older Mice, Rapamycin Extends Lifespan
US scientists have discovered that rapamycin, first discovered in a soil sample from Easter Island, can significantly extend life expectancy in genetically heterogeneous populations of mice. Rapamycin, which is used primarily to prevent rejection following kidney transplants, is an immunosuppressant…
Anti-Ageing Claims Could Soon Be Tested Scientifically
Since ancient times, mankind has sought the gift of eternal youth and many have claimed to have discovered the secret. Today, despite a plethora of products promising a more youthful appearance, ways to truly defy the passage of time remain…
MK-677 Increases Lean Muscle Mass in Elderly
It has been estimated that most people lose between 35% and 45% of skeletal muscle in the 6 decades between the ages of 20 and 80. This progressive loss of muscle is known as sarcopenia and, combined with osteoporosis, is…
Farnesyl Transferase Inhibitors: a Potential Treatment for Progeria
Progeria is a very rare genetic disease characterised by dramatic premature ageing; Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is the most severe form of the disease. As newborns, children with progeria usually appear normal but, within one year, their growth rate declines.…
Less Protein for a Longer Life?
Starting in the 1930s, a number of studies in laboratory animals have concluded that a reduced calorie diet, which delivers sufficient vital nutrients, results in a longer life and delays age-related diseases. Because of these findings in animals, many people…
