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A daily multivitamin may help slow biological aging, according to researchers studying older adults in a large clinical trial. After two years, participants taking multivitamins showed slower aging in several DNA-based “epigenetic clocks,” with the effect equal to about four months less biological aging. People who started out biologically older than their actual age appeared to benefit the most. The findings hint that a simple supplement could play a role in healthier aging.

Storing quantum information in designer molecules could hold advantages over atoms, ions, and other kinds of qubits

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the complex web of interrelations linking dementia with social, behavioural, and health-related factors in later life. Rather than implying causal direction, these findings illustrate how multiple factors cluster and coexist within older adults' lives. These interconnections may inform the design of holistic strategies that integrate employment opportunities, physical activity promotion, social participation, sleep health, and cerebrovascular prevention into...

CONCLUSION: Cognitive decline over four years was associated with an increased risk of mortality among older women. Further studies should explore whether declines earlier in life or among men are also associated with an increased risk of mortality.

Scientists analyzing the genomes of thousands of people across Japan discovered evidence for a previously overlooked third ancestral group, challenging the long-accepted “dual origins” theory. The newly identified ancestry appears linked to the ancient Emishi people of northeastern Japan. Researchers also uncovered inherited Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA connected to conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

UC Davis researchers created brand-new psychedelic-like compounds by shining UV light on amino acid-based molecules. These compounds activated key serotonin receptors tied to brain plasticity and mental health benefits, but surprisingly did not cause hallucination-like behavior in animal tests. Scientists say the discovery could lead to future treatments for depression, PTSD, and addiction without the intense psychedelic experience.

A huge long-term study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day was linked to a much lower risk of dementia, especially before age 75. Researchers say caffeine may help keep brain cells active while reducing inflammation and harmful plaque buildup associated with Alzheimer’s disease. But more coffee wasn’t better — the protective effect appeared to level off after moderate intake.

Ancient Homo erectus teeth from China yield protein variants seen in Denisovans—and us

Water erupted from cryovolcanoes may freeze into thick but fragile layers on Europa and Enceladus

Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma B (GPNMB) is critical to cellular uptake of pathological forms of alpha-synuclein (aSyn), the hallmark disease protein in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we demonstrate that the non-membrane-anchored, extracellular domain of GPNMB can function in a non-cell-autonomous manner. In the human brain, GPNMB is widely expressed in neurons and microglia. In induced pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia (iMicroglia), GPNMB expression and secretion increase with...

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an essential role in development, normal functioning, and human disease. Staufen1 (STAU1) is an RBP that regulates mRNA degradation and subcellular localization, and is part of the ATXN2 protein complex. Previously, we showed that STAU1 is overabundant in patient fibroblasts and in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2), where it is associated with impaired autophagic flux due to...

The gut microbiome may shape how diet influences cognitive aging, but population-based evidence remains limited. In 784 older adults living in rural China (70-98 years old) with fecal metagenomics and structured dietary assessment, a modified healthful plant-based diet index (mHPDI) is associated with distinct gut microbial structure and taxonomic shifts (15 species, 17 genera). Among participants with repeated cognitive measurements, higher mHPDI is associated with better global cognition, with...

Aging and biological sex are critical moderators of sleep quality, which contributes significantly to age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. This study investigated how age and sex moderated the relationship between subjective sleep quality and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) within networks associated with hyperarousal and cognitive processing. Using an exploratory-confirmatory approach across two datasets (N = 95 and N = 1244), we examined connectivity of...