SUBJ: Alzheimers disease tau protein misfolds and forms oligomers, which clump

SUBtitle: clues into the diversity of mammalian lifespans

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SHORT NOTES: Even more evidence to support use of Mito-C: Last week Science reported how Alzheimers disease tau protein misfolds and forms oligomers, which clump together; A study of 348 species offers clues into the diversity of mammalian lifespans; Long covid clinical trials are underway; Side effects loom over Alzheimer’s drugs,  brain  swelling and bleeding…; Does heat cause miscarriages?; a plant-based dietary pattern was associated with substantially lowered pace of aging; The Commonwealth Fund is reporting that the United States holds the unfortunate distinction of having the biggest geographic health disparities of all countries in the developed world; There is a growing body of research demonstrating a direct link between our biome and our projected brain health  Eat six cups of fruits and vegetables every day!;14 things no one tells you about getting older- Only 10% of women and 5% of men over 70 still report migraines, people who work hard at a job they enjoy live the longest…

LONG NOTES:

Science  4 Aug pg 497 – Even more evidence to support use of Mito-C: Last week Science reported how Alzheimers disease tau protein misfolds and forms oligomers, which clump together. This week it reports how misfolding and aggregation of alpha-synuclein protein in the brain  aggregates to cause Parkinson’s.

Science 11 Aug, pg 602- A study of 348 species offers clues into the diversity of mammalian lifespans.  They identified many regions where epigenetic markings varied with lifespan from 6 months to 200 yrs.  Epigenetic aging can now be measured.

Science  4 Aug pg 464 – Long covid clinical trials are underway.  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) this week announced clinical trials to test treatments against Long Covid, including drugs and other strate-gies targeting symptoms such as brain fog, rapid heart rate, and sleep troubles. Most trials will enroll 100 to 300 people with Long Covid and begin this year. Neurologic interventions will include a web-based brain training program and a device for transcranial stimulation. Scientists will also test intravenous immune globulin to treat immune abnormalities, as well as the drug ivabradine, which can lower heart rate. To normalize sleep patterns, researchers will test melatonin, light therapy, and some medications. The new trials are supported by RECOVER, NIH’s research effort into Long Covid, which launched in 2021. Its first trial, a study of the antiviral Paxlovid, includes a group that will take the drug for 25 days and is currently enrolling patients.

Science  4 Aug pg 466-Side effects loom over Alzheimer’s drugs. A sea change is underway in the treat-ment of Alzheimer’s disease, where for the  first  time  a  drug  that  targets  the disease’s  pathology  and  clearly  slows cognitive decline has hit the U.S. mar-ket. A related therapy will likely be approved in the coming months. As many neurologists,  patients,  and  brain  scientists celebrate, they’re also nervously eyeing com-plications  from  treatment:  brain  swelling and bleeding, which in clinical trials affected up to about one-third of patients and ranged from asymptomatic to fatal.

Science  4 Aug pg 469- Does heat cause miscarriages? A novel study seeks to find out. Wesselink and her colleagues hope to recruit 400 female participants in the United States and Canada who are trying to get pregnant and are new enrollees in a large, longstanding online study called PRESTO. That study examines many factors that could influence fertility and whether a pregnancy is successfully carried to term. The participants will self-report if and when they get pregnant and have a baby—or miscarry.

We identified three distinctive aging trajectories in a large Asian cohort and found that adopting a plant-based dietary pattern, especially when rich in healthful plant foods, was associated with substantially lowered pace of aging.

From Kevin: The Commonwealth Fund is reporting that the United States holds the unfortunate distinction of having the biggest geographic health disparities of all countries in the developed world.  The physician pool is getting a bit older  with the mean age of 51.9 years (2022) compared to 50.7 (2010).  There was a 54% increase in the number of physicians aged 60 years and older. This portends a very significant shortage of physicians in the not-too-distant future as the population continues to increase.

From Kevin: There is a growing body of research demonstrating a direct link between our biome and our projected brain health. For example, one study found that chronic constipation was tied to declining cognitive abilities with the loss of up to three years of aged living for those who were so affected.  Specifically, constipation resulted in a depletion of bacteria that produce butyrate which creates byproducts supporting the gut barrier and prevent the entrance of bad bugs! In another study, low levels of neuroprotective gut bacteria, Butryricicoccus and Ruminococcus, were associated with elevated levels of Alzheimer’s disease.  Eat six cups of fruits and vegetables every day!

WebMD=14 things no one tells you about getting older- you’re good at using what you’ve learned. This is called crystalized intelligence, and it keeps getting better, even when you’re 65 or 70, You’ll probably get more agreeable as you age, at least through your 60s. You’re also likely to be happier and less inclined to get angry, You’re more in tune with other people’s emotions in your 40s than at any other time in your life, sexual satisfaction improved with age. Women over 80 were more likely than those between 55 and 79 to say they were satisfied during sex, This can mean large hairs in older guys’ noses and ears. Older women may notice small hairs on their chins, One study showed that even though folks over 65 tend to wake up during the night, most said they regularly get a good night’s sleep, those migraines you may have had much of your life may go away. Only 10% of women and 5% of men over 70 still report migraines, people who work hard at a job they enjoy live the longest, Self-esteem soars as you age, Baby boomers and older adults report less stress than their younger counterparts, The spaces between the bones in your spine — called vertebrae — get closer together. That can make you about an inch shorter as you get older.