In a novel study comparing healthy cells from people in their 20s with cells from people in their 80s, researchers say they have documented that cell division rates appear to consistently and markedly slow down in humans at older ages.
Read moreThree-hundred researchers have identified 48 common genetic variants that are associated with the size of the brainstem and other subcortical structures deep within the brain. This is the first step toward understanding how to devise treatments for disorders affecting these structures.
Read moreThe part of the brain that selectively degenerates in people with Huntington's disease (HD), called the striatum, is almost entirely destroyed in the late stages of the disease. Brain samples from mutant HD gene positive individuals who had not yet developed symptoms by time of death are extremely rare. As a consequence, very little is known about the active disease process that causes the devastating symptoms of HD.
Read moreThere are many indications that fasting promotes longevity. In recent years, much attention has been devoted to so-called caloric restriction mimetics (CMRs), substances that simulate the health-promoting effects of fasting without the need of life-style change. A study reports the identification of a novel candidate CRM. The substance may prove useful in the further research for the treatment of age-related diseases.
Read moreThe once-rare 'fabella' bone has made a dramatic resurgence in human knees, but who's likely to have a fabella or two — and why?
Read moreResearchers used a grip-force test to analyze sensorimotor function in people with the FMR1 premutation, with the aim of determining FXTAS risk and severity.
Read moreNew research could help explain why memory in old age is much less flexible than in young adulthood. Through experiments in mice the researchers discovered that there were dramatic differences in how memories were stored in old age, compared to young adulthood.
Read moreScientists have isolated a natural chemical that acts as a potent kryptonite against parasitic worms that burrow through human skin and cause devastating health problems. Researchers now describe the successful characterization of this chemical, which could help in finding new ways to fight the neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis.
Read moreResearchers have found that carriers of the most common genetic variant that causes cystic fibrosis experience some symptoms similar to those of people with cystic fibrosis. These findings were enabled by large-scale genomic data made available just a few years ago.
Read moreProlonged exposure to blue light, such as that which emanates from your phone, computer and household fixtures, could be affecting your longevity, even if it's not shining in your eyes. New research suggests that the blue wavelengths produced by light-emitting diodes damage cells in the brain as well as retinas, according to a new study in a model organism.
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