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Bio-News: Health and Longevity
New twist in brain obesity riddle
(Oct 5, 2008)
The discovery of another way in which the body appears to control how much it eats could shed fresh light on obesity. US researchers said poor diets may trigger a signalling system which prompts the body to consume even more. When the signals – involving a protein linked to inflammation - were blocked in mice, they maintained normal weight.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Clean living 'slows cell ageing'
(Sep 16, 2008)
Taking more exercise and eating the right foods may help increase levels of an enzyme vital for guarding against age-related cell damage, work suggests. Among 24 men asked to adopt healthy lifestyle changes for a US study in The Lancet Oncology, levels of telomerase increased by 29% on average. Telomerase repairs and lengthens telomeres, which cap and protect the ends of chromosomes housing DNA.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Vitamin linked to brain shrinking
(Sep 9, 2008)
A vitamin found in meat, fish and milk may help stave off memory loss in old age, a study has suggested. Older people with lower than average vitamin B12 levels were more than six times more likely to experience brain shrinkage, researchers concluded. The University of Oxford study, published in the journal Neurology, tested the 107 apparently healthy volunteers over a five-year period.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Climbing stairs can prolong life
(Sep 1, 2008)
Taking the stairs instead of the lift at work could save your life, claim Swiss researchers. Banning the use of lifts and escalators led to better fitness, less body fat, trimmer waistlines and a drop in blood pressure, a study of 69 people found. This translates to a 15% cut in the risk of dying prematurely from any cause, calculate the University of Geneva team.
Read more. Source: BBC |
New brain cells are essential for learning
(Sep 1, 2008)
Far from being a completed masterpiece, some parts of the brain are works-in-progress, continuously churning out new cells. Now we may know why the brain goes to all that trouble. In mice at least, it appears that fresh brain cells are key to learning and memory.
Read more. Source: New Scientist |
Cancer spread 'happens earlier'
(Aug 29, 2008)
Apparently "normal" cells may carry cancer to new sites long before a tumour develops, lying dormant until key genes are activated, experts say. US researchers say their findings, published in Science, could explain why some breast cancers lead to new tumours long after the disease is treated. Secondary, or metastatic, cancers are responsible for the majority of deaths from the disease.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Alzheimer's drug 'halts' decline
(Jul 29, 2008)
UK scientists have developed a drug which may halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Trials of the drug, known as rember, in 321 patients showed an 81% difference in rate of mental decline compared with those not taking the treatment. The Aberdeen University researchers said the drug targeted the build-up of a specific protein in the brain.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Cell change 'keeps organs young'
(Aug 11, 2008)
Researchers may have found a way to halt the biological clock which slows down our bodies over the decades. A US team thinks it may have found the genetic levers to help boost a system vital to cleaning up faulty proteins within our cells. The journal Nature Medicine reported that the livers of genetically-altered older mice worked as well as those in younger animals.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Sleeping soundly 'boosts memory'
(Jul 14, 2008)
A refreshing night's sleep may be the best way to boost memory, a study suggests. Researchers found sleep appears to have a dramatic impact on the way the brain functions the next day. It appears to strengthen connections between nerve cells in the brain – a process key to both learning and memory.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Blood pressure 'link to dementia'
(Jul 8, 2008)
Controlling blood pressure from middle-age onwards may dramatically reduce the chances of developing dementia, researchers have said. Two studies support a link between high blood pressure and dementia risk - with one by an Imperial College London team suggesting treatment could cut this. This study, by published in the Lancet Neurology journal, found blood pressure drugs reduce dementia by 13%.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Mediterranean diet 'cuts cancer'
(Jul 2, 2008)
Adopting just a couple of elements of the Mediterranean diet could cut the risk of cancer by 12%, say scientists. A study of 26,000 Greek people found just using more olive oil alone cut the risk by 9%. The diet, reports the British Journal of Cancer, also includes higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and less red meat.
Read more. Source: BBC |
How care home keeps elderly healthy
(Jun 23, 2008)
A year ago, 88-year-old Jean Lavender used to find walking any distance a struggle. Now she is keen to get outside for a walk most days. And she puts the transformation down to the most simple of medicines – water. She is one of a group of residents at a care home in Suffolk who have been encouraged to increase their intake of water.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Ginkgo 'does not treat dementia'
(Jun 18, 2008)
A herbal extract used by an estimated 10% of people with dementia is not an effective treatment for it, an Imperial College London study suggests. Ginkgo biloba is commonly marketed as an aid to memory and some studies have reported benefits. But a six-month trial of 176 people with mild to moderate dementia found no difference between those taking ginkgo biloba and those taking placebo.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Lab-grown cells 'treat baldness'
(Jun 5, 2008)
Cells grown in the laboratory may offer a possible solution to hair loss, preliminary trials have suggested. The technique involves taking small amounts of the remaining hair cells, multiplying them, then injecting them into bald areas. Six months after treatment, 11 out of 19 patients had grown new hair, UK researchers told an Italian conference.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Smoking 'triggers deadly changes'
(May 15, 2008)
A key mechanism by which smoking triggers genetic changes that cause lung cancer has been unravelled. Researchers have shown exposure to cigarette smoke slows production of a protein called FANCD2 in lung cells. This protein plays a key role in repairing damage to DNA, and causing faulty cells to commit suicide before they go on to become cancerous.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Fat children may be tied to a lifetime of obesity
(May 5, 2008)
Be careful what you eat as a kid, because those extra fries could make it harder to shed pounds years later in life. A team of Swedish researchers has found that humans determine their total number of fat cells in childhood. New cells spring up and old ones perish, but their numbers change little after adolescence.
Read more. Source: New Scientist |
Mental workout 'boosts the brain'
(May 1, 2008)
Even the slower-witted among us can improve mental agility with a few daily brain teasers, a study suggests. For those who hate crosswords but still fancy shining at work – fear not. The US-Swiss team behind the research say computer-based tests, which challenge the individual according to ability, may be more effective.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Vitamins 'may shorten your life'
(Apr 18, 2008)
Research has suggested certain vitamin supplements do not extend life and could even lead to a premature death. A review of 67 studies found "no convincing evidence" that antioxidant supplements cut the risk of dying. Scientists at Copenhagen University said vitamins A and E could interfere with the body's natural defences.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Hope over US Alzheimer's therapy
(Apr 11, 2008)
Further research is needed into a US treatment for Alzheimer's disease that appears to produce marked improvements in some patients, experts say. California researchers believe they have found a way of improving brain cell communication by injecting a drug called etanercept into the neck. The Institute for Neurological Research team has described changes taking place in Alzheimer's patients within minutes.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Daily caffeine 'protects brain'
(Apr 3, 2008)
Coffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests. The drink has already been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's Disease, and a study by a US team for the Journal of Neuroinflammation may explain why. A vital barrier between the brain and the main blood supply of rabbits fed a fat-rich diet was protected in those given a caffeine supplement.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Large waist 'an Alzheimer's risk'
(Mar 27, 2008)
A big waistline in your 40s could almost triple the threat of dementia in old age, according to US research. Obesity is a known risk factor for Alzheimer's, but scientists found even those of normal weight were more at risk if they had a large waist. However, the study of 6,500 people, published in the journal Neurology, found obesity and bulging stomach was still the most dangerous combination.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Alcohol 'quickly' cuts heart risk
(Mar 8, 2008)
Middle-aged non-drinkers can quickly reduce their risk of heart disease by introducing a daily tipple to their diet, South Carolina researchers say. New moderate drinkers were 38% less likely to develop heart disease than those who stayed tee-total, a four-year study involving 7,500 people found. Those who drank only wine showed the most benefit, the researchers reported in the American Medical Journal.
Read more. Source: BBC |
Genes 'play key happiness role'
(Mar 5, 2008)
Our level of happiness throughout life is strongly influenced by the genes with which we were born, say experts. An Edinburgh University study of identical and non-identical twins suggests genes may control half the personality traits keeping us happy. The other half is linked to lifestyle, career and relationships.
Read more. Source: BBC |
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