Monthly Archives: May 2009

We have heard about so-called “longevity genes” that are over a billion years old.   A number of these in humans (15 or so) are also found in primitive species such as nematode roundworms (c-elegans), and are associated with the target … Continue reading →

The most recent posts related to progeria diseases remind me again that when it comes to aging we seem to be dealing with different areas of a very large jigsaw puzzle where most of the pieces between the areas are … Continue reading →

My last major post traced developments related to a form of progeria (premature aging) known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, or HGPS, for short.  The discussion and comments on this post are leading us down new paths, such as exploring the … Continue reading →

HGPS, standing for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome is an extremely rare but well-studied genetic disease. Young children born with HGPS seem to age at an extraordinary rate, exhibit many of the symptoms of old age, become wrinkled and bald, are particularly … Continue reading →

I have wonderful memories of spending summers at a rustic cottage on tiny Pleasant Lake in Michigan with my aunt Lila and my Uncle Gigi D’Augistino, back when I was a child in the 30s.  Gigi loved his red wine … Continue reading →

As time rolls on and new research studies roll in, there appears to be more and more evidence for key role of the nuclear binding factor NF-kappaB in aging.  I have listed some updates on this subject in a previous … Continue reading →

The title of this post does not suggest a very noble undertaking. If a fruit fly has Parkinson’s- like shakes, so be it.  Who should care about the health of these pesky creatures and why?  A study reported in the … Continue reading →

It has long been known that females tend to outlive males.  I have only to look at my own family’s history to see how that kept happening.  And apparently this also happens in a variety of other species as well. … Continue reading →

Previous studies have found that women who have babies naturally in their 40s or 50s tend to live significantly longer than other women. At first it seemed that epigenetic factors were at work here.  The theory was that something changes … Continue reading →

The answer depends on the study.  As far back as 1997, epidemiological studies suggested that moderate regular consumption of wine, red wine in particular, was associated with decreased risk of ischemic heart disease death(ref).   Then there is the often-cited 2007 … Continue reading →