Aging & Longevity

Recent advances in single-cell technologies have facilitated studies on age-related alterations in the immune system. However, previous studies have often employed different marker genes to annotate immune cell populations, making it challenging to compare results. In this study, we combined seven single-cell transcriptomic datasets, comprising more than a million cells from one hundred and three donors, to create a unified atlas of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from both young...

Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes but shorten following cell division in the absence of telomerase activity. When telomeres become critically short or damaged, a DNA damage response is activated. Telomeres then become dysfunctional and trigger cellular senescence or death. Telomere shortening occurs with ageing and may contribute to associated maladies such as infertility, neurodegeneration, cancer, lung dysfunction and haematopoiesis disorders. Telomere dysfunction (sometimes without...

Cognitive aging has become a public health concern as the mean age of the population is ever-increasing. It is a naturalistic and common process of degenerative and compensatory changes that may result in neurocognitive disorders. While heterogeneous, cognitive aging mostly affects executive functions that may be associated with functional losses during activities of daily living. Cognition-oriented treatments like cognitive training and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have...

Background: The ability to age healthily is highly dependent on individual characteristics that include gender, social class, a range of biological and contextual factors, and migrant background. Indeed, immigration has changed the demographic composition and social structure of many European countries, generating an increasing interest in how societies, and immigrants in particular, are aging. Research Design: This paper compares the age-related trajectories of health decline in three health...

Hyphal elongation is the vegetative growth of filamentous fungi, and many species continuously elongate their hyphal tips over long periods. The details of the mechanisms for maintaining continuous growth are not yet clear. A novel short lifespan mutant of N. crassa that ceases hyphal elongation early was screened and analyzed to better understand the mechanisms for maintaining hyphal elongation in filamentous fungi. The mutant strain also exhibited high sensitivity to mutagens such as...

CONCLUSION: Our study implicates the potential causal effects of specific microbiota on EAA, potentially providing novel insights into the prevention aging through specific gut microbiota.

Mitochondrial homeostasis plays a crucial role in degenerative joint diseases, including cartilaginous endplate (CEP) degeneration. To date, research into mitochondrial dynamics in IVDD is at an early stage. Since Piezo1 is a novel Ca^(2+)-permeable channel, we asked whether Piezo1 could modulate mitochondrial fission through Ca^(2+) signalling during CEP degeneration. In vitro and in vivo models of inflammation-induced CEP degeneration were established with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found...

CONCLUSION: This study provided novel evidence of a negative association between serum α-Klotho and hearing impairment in adults aged 40-69. Our results suggested a protective role of serum α-Klotho on adults with hearing loss.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a co-development pattern between cognitive function and frailty in Chinese older adults aged 55 years and above. While cognitive impairment may be irreversible, frailty is a condition that can be potentially reversed. Early detecting is crucial in preventing cognitive decline, considering the shared trajectory of these conditions.

The ISR is a cellular signaling pathway that responds to various physiological changes and types of stimulation. The mitochondrial integrated stress response (ISR^(mt)) is a stress response specific to mitochondria which is initiated by eIF2α phosphorylation and is responsive to mitochondrial stressors. The ISR^(mt) triggers diverse metabolic responses reliant on activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4). The preliminary phases of ISR^(mt) can provoke an adaptive stress response that antagonizes...

Coronary heart disease (CHD) and cognitive impairment frequently co-occur in aging populations, yet the molecular mechanisms linking these conditions remain unclear. This study aims to elucidate the roles of key aging-related genes (ARGs), specifically FKBP5 and DDIT3, in the pathophysiology of CHD and cognitive impairment, and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of stellate ganglion block (SGB). Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing (bulk RNA-seq) data, we...

Precipitation hardening has been recently validated as a new mechanism for domain wall pinning and mechanical loss reduction in piezoelectrics. While anisometric precipitates have high pinning strengths, there is limited knowledge about the electrical anisotropy of the precipitation-hardened piezoceramics. In the present work, we successfully orient the precipitates in Li(0.18)Na(0.82)NbO(3) piezoceramics by applying a uniaxial stress during the aging and studied its electrical anisotropy....

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous familial disorder affecting up to one in five women. The aetiology remains unclear, but available evidence suggests it is a polygenic disorder with epigenetic, developmental, and environmental components. The diagnostic criteria for PCOS are based on reproductive features, and the syndrome is categorized into several phenotypes that can vary by race and ethnicity. Insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction have a crucial role in the...

CONCLUSION: Meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies and cohort studies showed that depression in older adults was associated with the development of MCR, and depression increased the risk of MCR in older adults.

INTRODUCTION: Certain situations and contexts during early years of life and childhood can have a significant impact on the health of older individuals. Studies have demonstrated that adversities such as poverty, neglect, abuse, and exposure to chronic stress conditions during the early years of life are associated with a range of health problems in adulthood.

To elucidate aging-associated cellular population dynamics, we present PanSci, a single-cell transcriptome atlas profiling over 20 million cells from 623 mouse tissues across different life stages, sexes, and genotypes. This comprehensive dataset reveals more than 3,000 unique cellular states and over 200 aging-associated cell populations. Our panoramic analysis uncovered organ-, lineage-, and sex-specific shifts of cellular dynamics during lifespan progression. Moreover, we identify both...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other age-related disorders associated with demyelination exhibit sex differences. In this work, we used single-nuclei transcriptomics to dissect the contributions of sex chromosomes and gonads in demyelination and AD. In a mouse model of demyelination, we identified the roles of sex chromosomes and gonads in modifying microglia and oligodendrocyte responses before and after myelin loss. In an AD-related mouse model expressing APOE4, XY sex chromosomes heightened...

A list of this decade's most prominent names in ageing research would undoubtedly include many women who have led the field in recent years. While the field, and science in general, still have far to go in achieving gender parity in opportunities and recognition, we can celebrate the progress made to date. However, the longer 'history of the field' that many of us present in our classrooms, conference halls and writings often tends to be dominated by men. Although numerous men have made...

Policy measures designed to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation date back to decades, including the Older Americans Act of 1965. Over the years, various legislative actions have aimed to address elder mistreatment, culminating in the Elder Justice Act of 2010. Despite these efforts, policy changes lag behind need, and government funding appropriation is woefully inadequate. On November 29, 2023, the National Collaboratory to Address Elder Mistreatment convened 76 experts from...

CONCLUSIONS: In this preliminary study, Age Self Care facilitated behavior change, including minor home modifications, fall risk reduction, and engagement in social networks, all of which support aging in place.