Latest Gerontology Stories

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- In today's society, kids already act and look older than they are. Recent research has proved that the DNA of 10-year-olds who have experienced violence at a young age are found to show wear and tear normally associated with aging. "This is the first time it has been shown that our telomeres can shorten at a faster rate even at a really young age, while kids are still experiencing stress," Idan Shalev, a post-doctoral researcher in psychology and neuroscience at the...

Singapore, Apr 30, 2012 - (ACN Newswire) - Scientists have discovered that they can dramatically increase the life span of mice with progeria (premature ageing disease) and heart disease (caused by Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy) by reducing levels of a protein called SUN1. This research was done by A*STAR's Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) in collaboration with their partners at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the United States and the Institute of Cellular...

Researchers have found that violence in the lives of children can cause changes in their DNA equivalent to seven to 10 years of premature aging. Scientists measured this cellular aging by studying the ends of children’s chromosomes, called telomeres. Telomeres are DNA sequences that act like the plastic tips on shoelaces, which prevent the DNA in chromosomes from unraveling. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres become shorter until a cell dies when it can’t divide anymore, reports...

ICP researchers published today in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society B' one of the first fossil-based evidences supporting the evolutionary theory of ageing, which predicts that species evolving in low mortality and resource-limited ecosystems tend to be more long-lived. The study shows that the tooth height of endemic insular mammals is an indicator of longevity, and questions the use of this morphological characteristic as an exclusive indicator to infer the diet of fossil species,...

Children who have experienced violence might really be older than their years. The DNA of 10-year-olds who experienced violence in their young lives has been found to show wear and tear normally associated with aging, a Duke University study has found. "This is the first time it has been shown that our telomeres can shorten at a faster rate even at a really young age, while kids are still experiencing stress," said Idan Shalev, a post-doctoral researcher in psychology and neuroscience at...

Videogame technology is proving to be a valuable tool for helping people of all ages improve lifestyle and health habits and manage disease. New research is showing that exergames have significant benefits for older adults by providing cognitive stimulation and a source of social interaction, exercise, and fun. Thus, the games help them to lead fuller, more independent lives for a longer time, according to two articles in Games for Health Journal, a new bimonthly peer-reviewed publication...

New research from Queen's University Belfast, published today in the journal Age and Ageing, has investigated why women are 40 per cent more likely to be admitted in to a care home than men. The study found women were often married to older partners who cannot provide care for them due to their age-related frailty. The study, entitled 'Gender differences in care home admission risk: Partner's age explains the higher risk for women', used data from the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study...

New research published today in the journal Age and Aging has investigated why women are 40% more likely to be admitted in to a care home than men. The study found that women were often married to older partners who cannot provide care for them due to their age-related frailty. The study, entitled 'Gender differences in care home admission risk: Partner's age explains the higher risk for women', used data from the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study (NILS) derived from the Northern Ireland...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by SENS Foundation: The Oxford University Scientific Society is hosting a debate on Wednesday, 25th April, 2012. The debate will begin at 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. Pacific, 2 p.m. Eastern) in the University of Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre; doors open 45 minutes earlier. Dr. Aubrey de Grey will propose the motion "This house wants to defeat ageing entirely" and Professor Colin Blakemore...

Major life decisions such as marriage, divorce, abortion, having a child and attending university may be subconsciously influenced by how long people believe they will live, according to a Queen’s University study. “Life expectancy might be driving all of these major decisions,” says Daniel Krupp, a post doctoral fellow in the Queen’s math department who has a background in psychology and biology. The longer someone expects to live, the more time they will invest in education....