Tau is a protein abundant in nerve cells, and its abnormal forms are linked to brain deterioration in Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions. Researchers investigated how tau affects mitochondria, the cell's energy-producing structures, and whether interrupting that interaction could protect neurons. The study combined animal models, human neurons grown from stem cells, and brain tissue collected after death from people with and without tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. In animal and cell experiments, researchers altered tau and examined whether reverse elect... alzheimer's dementia mitochondria neurodegeneration neurons
Read moreWeight loss can look successful on the scale while concealing whether the body lost fat or muscle. Researchers tested whether raising ketone levels during treatment with semaglutide, the weight-loss drug sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy, could protect skeletal muscle without interfering with fat loss. Male mice with diet-induced obesity and poor blood sugar control entered a three-week rapid-weight-loss experiment as they switched from a high-fat diet to regular food under calorie-deficit conditions. They were randomly assigned to inactive saline control injections, semaglutid... Exogenous ketones fat GLP-1 ketosis muscle weight loss
Read moreCholine, an essential nutrient found in eggs, meat, fish, beans, and nuts, supports the production of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in neurogenesis, synapse formation, learning, and memory. Most people living in the US don't consume enough choline – 550 milligrams per day for men and 425 milligrams per day for women – potentially increasing their risk for various diseases (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional/#h5). A 2019 study in mice found that lifelong choline supplementation prevented Alzheimer's disease and preserved cognitive function. Researchers f... nutrition alzheimer's diet aging micronutrients neurotransmitter acetylcholine
Read moreFungi drive many chronic health conditions, including asthma, skin problems, gut disorders, and others. Recent research has highlighted potential links between the fungus Candida albicans and Alzheimer's disease. A recent study in mice found that C. albicans triggers a dual-pronged defense system involving both the brain and the immune system; however, when elements of this system fail, the fungi can impair the blood-brain barrier and drive amyloid plaque formation. Researchers injected mice with different strains of C. albicans and measured fungal levels in the animals' brains. They assessed ... brain alzheimer's blood-brain barrier
Read moreFrom the article: > Muscle tissue can remodel itself, which is one reason why exercise becomes easier when we do it regularly, Lessard says. Over time, aerobic exercise such as running or swimming can alter muscle fibers to become more efficient at using oxygen during exercise. "We also grow new blood vessels to allow more oxygen to be delivered to the muscle, which helps to increase our aerobic fitness levels," she says. > The scientists propose that high levels of blood sugar may prevent muscle remodeling in part by modifying the "extracellular matrix" proteins in the space between the... exercise diabetes blood sugar aerobic strength
Read morePsilocybin is a bioactive psychedelic compound present in certain varieties of mushrooms, commonly referred to as "magic" mushrooms. With clinical trials finding psilocybin treatment to be effective at reducing symptoms of treatment-resistant depression (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27210031/) and obsessive compulsive disorder (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17196053/), increasingly more attention is being drawn to the potential mental health benefits of the compound. Findings from a recent study indicate that a single dose of psilocybin triggers a tangible and lasting proliferation of new... brain mushroom psychedelic lsd
Read moreCellular senescence is the condition or process of cellular deterioration that occurs with age. Senescent cells often release inflammatory proteins that can damage neighboring healthy cells. Understanding the genetic and epigenetic bases of cellular senescence is instrumental in developing interventions to slow aging. A recent report identifies a gene therapy strategy to slow aging in mice. Gene therapy is a technique in which altered (mutated) genes are corrected as a means to prevent or treat disease. One type of gene therapy involves inactivating a mutated gene that is functioning improper... aging genetic engineering senescence
Read moreA critical component of the body's immune response to pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants is inflammation. Chronic inflammation, however, can promote the development of chronic inflammatory disorders. Findings from a new study suggest that pterostilbene, a polyphenolic compound present in blueberries, can reduce the risk of developing chronic inflammatory disorders by altering the activity of dendritic cells and T cells. Pterostilbene is a polyphenolic compound that demonstrates antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649683... inflammation immune system polyphenol
Read moreThis preliminary study was done in mice and showed that the DNA-based bionanorobots could latch onto vascular cells at the tumor site and release a protein (called thrombin) that causes extensive blood clots in the blood vessels of tumors vessels but does not cause clotting elsewhere in the animals. The clots in the tumor vessels induce cell death of the cancer cells. Much more work is needed to be done before translation to clinical trials and it's not clear that thrombin will work but the platform of the biodegradable DNA nanorobots seems to work and is the most important finding in this stu... technology cancer protein
Read more