Aging & Longevity

CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that shift work is associated with accelerated apparent brain aging, even after controlling for systematic model bias and demographic covariates. The observed reduction in BAG with extended shift work exposure may reflect adaptive or selective effects, emphasizing the need for longitudinal studies to clarify these mechanisms. This research highlights the importance of incorporating occupational exposures in neuroimaging and brain health investigations.

The aging brain undergoes complex neuroinflammatory changes that are increasingly recognized as contributing factors to the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Emerging research reveals that biological sex profoundly shapes these neuroinflammatory dynamics, resulting in distinct trajectories of immune function, glial activity, and neural vulnerability in males and females. This mini-review focuses on recent advances in understanding the interplay of hormonal, genetic, and...

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Osteoporotic fractures are one of the most common and consequential diseases of advanced ageing and many antifracture therapies are widely available but largely underused. This Seminar presents an updated approach to osteoporosis consultation, drawing upon published evidence and collaborative expert opinion to place the data in a pragmatic and useful context for clinicians. New evidence on osteoporosis screening recommendations, fracture-risk assessment, intervention decisions, nutrition-based...

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, is increasing rapidly in prevalence, while Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), the most frequent psychiatric condition, continues to pose significant global healthcare challenges. Recent hypotheses suggest that AD and MDD might be interrelated, potentially sharing common pathophysiological mechanisms. One possible central link is the Transforming Growth Factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) pathway. Reduced TGF-β1 levels, a cytokine involved in...

Brain aging is accompanied by progressive cognitive decline and increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, with adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) playing a pivotal role in maintaining cognitive resilience. Selenium, an essential trace element, exerts significant neuroprotective and neurogenic effects predominantly through its incorporation into selenoproteins, which regulate oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and synaptic plasticity. This review synthesizes recent advances delineating...

Osteoporosis is driven by skeletal aging and increases the risk of fragility fractures. Skeletal aging is influenced by epigenetic mechanisms; however, the link to the epigenetic clocks, that is, the suggested biomarkers of biological aging intensively studied within aging research, remains largely unexplored. We investigated the association of eight epigenetic clocks-Horvath, IEAA, Hannum, EEAA, PhenoAge, GrimAge, DunedinPoAm, DunedinPACE-and methylation-based telomere length (mTL) measured at...

Adult resident stem cells are capable of regenerating tissues that manifest signs of "rejuvenation" in flatworms and mice of older ages. These findings suggest potentially conserved regulatory mechanisms of adult resident stem cells from worms to mammals. Regenerative capacities are more limited in specific tissues and stem cell types of larger mammals. Understanding and harnessing the rejuvenating properties of resident adult stem cells in flatworms and mice could have broad therapeutic...

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor dysfunction and non-motor symptoms affecting cognition, mood and autonomic function. Both genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures such as pesticides (e.g., paraquat, rotenone), heavy metals (e.g., manganese, lead), tobacco smoke, and caffeine have been implicated in PD pathogenesis. Recent studies highlight the role of epigenetic mechanisms including DNA methylation (e.g., SNCA, PARK2), histone...

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Obesity is linked to an increased risk of various lung disorders, yet its role in disease progression remains poorly understood. We have utilized multiomics approaches together with functional assays to explore the effect of obesity on the lung. Obesity induced matrisome remodeling and structural alterations in the elastic fiber network, exhibiting solubility shifts that overlapped with those seen in the aging lung. In addition, protease inhibitor levels were reduced in lung tissue and...

Mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired mitophagy are hallmarks of aging and age-related pathologies. Disrupted inter-organellar communication among mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and lysosomes, further contributes to cellular dysfunction. While mitophagy has emerged as a promising target for neuroprotection and geroprotection, its potential to restore age-associated defects in organellar crosstalk remains unclear. Here, we show that mitophagy deficiency deregulates the morphology and...

Time-based diets have gained popularity for their health benefits, but their effects on human longevity remain unclear, with most evidence from short-term human trials and animal studies. We determined the associations between eating window and mortality among U.S. adults. We conducted a prospective cohort study using NHANES 2003-2018 data linked to mortality records through December 2019. The analytic sample included 33,052 adults (aged 20 and above) with two complete 24-h dietary recalls...

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI), commonly referred to as chemobrain, is a pervasive adverse effect of cancer treatment, characterized by deficits in memory, concentration, and executive function. Several observations have suggested a potential for senescence in mediating CICI. First, chemotherapeutic agents that are implicated in CICI can also trigger senescence in neurons and glial cells, accompanied by the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), that could propagate...

Background: The Multiracial population is the fastest-growing racial group in the United States but remains underrepresented in cognitive aging research. No national estimates exist for subjective cognitive decline (SCD)-a self-reported indicator of worsening memory associated with dementia risk-among older Multiracial adults. Methods: We used 2019-2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from states that administered the optional cognitive decline module (n = 599,874 adults aged...

Growing evidence from the past seven decades indicates that atherosclerosis begins in youth and progresses in response to exposure to cardiovascular risk factors, which contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease in later life. A long-term randomized clinical trial lasting at least 50 years and involving screening and follow-up of children across their lifespan would provide the highest level of evidence to determine the lifelong influence of cardiovascular risk factors on...

Biological age (BA) reflects the aging process more accurately than chronological age. This study aimed to evaluate the associations and predictive values of nine BA measures for mortality outcomes. BA measures were developed using data from the Yixing Cohort Study (YCS; N = 4,128) and externally validated in the Jurong Cohort Study (JCS; N = 16,652). Dose-response relationships between the clinical indices and all-cause death were assessed using restricted cubic spline analysis. Statistically...

Immunosenescence is the process of immune dysfunction and gradual deterioration of the immune system associated with aging, while cellular senescence is the stable cell cycle arrest that can occur in non-immune or immune cells in response to stress or damage. Immunosenescence significantly impacts both the innate and adaptive immune responses and is characterised by physical changes in lymphoid organs, as well as dysfunctions in cellular and molecular mechanisms. Key features of immunosenescence...

Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) present a significant challenge, particularly in aging populations where Schwann cell dysfunction, reduced c-Jun expression, increased senescence, and impaired myelin clearance hinder regeneration. Targeted therapies aim to restore Schwann cell plasticity and improve nerve repair. These include gene therapy to upregulate c-Jun, senolytic agents to eliminate senescent Schwann cells, pharmacological activation of JNK, ferroptosis inhibition, and stem cell-based...

Stroke prevention is one of the pillars of management in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), hence effective and safe anticoagulation strategies are needed. While available anticoagulants target coagulation factors involved in thrombus formation, their bleeding complications and limitations in aging populations underscore the necessity for novel agents. Factor XI/XIa (FXI/XIa), which selectively targets the intrinsic coagulation pathway, offers a promising approach by attenuating...