266 research outputs found
Therapeutic potential of dietary polyphenols against brain ageing and neurodegenerative disorders
No full textIn recent years there has been a growing interest, supported by a large number of experimental and epidemiological studies, in the beneficial effects of some commonly used food-derived products in preventingvarious age-related pathologic conditions, ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases. Spices and herbs often contain active phenolic substances endowed with potent antioxidative and chemopreventive properties. Curcumin is a phytochemical compound extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma Longa. It is the pigment responsible for the characteristic yellow color of Indian curry. Data from our and other laboratories demonstrated that curcumin, as well as some other polyphenols, strongly induce heme oxygenase 1 and Phase II detoxification enzymes in neurons and, by this activation, protect neurons against different modes of oxidative challenge. The potential role of curcumin as a preventive agent against brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders has been recently reinforced by epidemiological studies showing that in India, where this spice is widely used in the daily diet, there is a lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease than in the USA. These studies identify a novel class of compounds that could be used for therapeutic purposes as preventive agents against the acute neurodegenerative conditions that affect many in the world's increasingly ageing population
Carotenoids and Cognitive Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Intervention Trials
No full textRecent evidence suggests that diet can modify the risk of future cognitive impairment and dementia. A biologically plausible rationale and initial clinical data indicate that the antioxidant activities of dietary carotenoids may assist the preservation of cognitive function. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted to examine the relationship between carotenoid supplementation and cognitive performance. A literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases from their inception to July 2020. A total of 435 studies were retrieved. Abstract screening using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria was followed by full-text screening and data extraction of study characteristics and measured outcomes. A meta-analysis of eligible trials was performed using a random-effects model to estimate pooled effect size. We identified 9 studies with a total of 4402 nondemented subjects, whose age ranged from 45 to 78 years. Results of the pooled meta-analysis found a significant effect of carotenoid intervention on cognitive outcomes (Hedge’s g = 0.14; 95% confidence interval: 0.08, 0.20, p 2 = 0.00%, H2 = 1.00) or publication bias. Although further studies are needed, our results suggest that carotenoid interventions are associated with better cognitive performance. Thus, these dietary compounds may help to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia
"Positive biology": the centenarian lesson.
No full textThe extraordinary increase of the elderly in developed countries underscore the importance of studies on ageing
and longevity and the need for the prompt spread of knowledge about ageing in order to satisfactorily decrease
the medical, economic and social problems associated to advancing years, because of the increased number of
individuals not autonomous and affected by invalidating pathologies.
Centenarians are equipped to reach the extreme limits of human life span and, most importantly, to show relatively
good health, being able to perform their routine daily life and to escape fatal age-related diseases. Thus, they are
the best example of extreme longevity, representing selected people in which the appearance of major age-related
diseases, such as cancer, and cardiovascular diseases among others, has been consistently delayed or escaped. To
discuss the relevance of genetics and life style in the attainment of longevity, five papers mostly focused on Italian
centenarians have been assembled in this series. The aim is to realize, through a” positive biology” approach (rather
than making diseases the central focus of research, “positive biology” seeks to understand the causes of positive
phenotypes, trying to explain the biological mechanisms of health and well-being) how to prevent and/or reduce
elderly frailty and disability
Metabolic indices of polyunsaturated fatty acids: current evidence, research controversies, and clinical utility
No full textThe n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are among the most studied nutrients in human metabolism. In the past few decades, prospective studies and controlled trials have supported the view that the effects of these essential fatty acids are clinically relevant. PUFA profiles in different blood compartments are reflections of both diet and metabolism, and their levels may be related to disease risk. Despite widespread interest, there is no consensus regarding which biomarkers best reflect PUFA status in the body. The measurement of PUFA levels is not straight-forward, and a wide variety of indices have been used in clinical studies, producing conflicting results. A major source of heterogeneity among studies is associated with research design, sampling, and laboratory analyses. To date, the n-3 index, n-6/n-3 ratio, and arachidonic acid (AA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ratio are the most promising biomarkers associated with PUFA metabolism. Although hotly debated, these indices may be considered at least markers, if not risk factors, for several diseases, especially cardiovascular events and brain disorders. Here, we summarize the most updated evidence of n-3 and n-6 PUFA effects on human health, reviewing current controversies on the aforementioned indices and whether they can be considered valuable predictors of clinical outcomes
Alzheimer's disease: new diagnostic and therapeutic tools
No full textAbstract On March 19, 2008 a Symposium on Pathophysiology of Ageing and Age-Related diseases was held in Palermo, Italy. Here, the lectures of M. Racchi on History and future perspectives of Alzheimer Biomarkers and of G. Scapagnini on Cellular Stress Response and Brain Ageing are summarized. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous and progressive neurodegenerative disease, which in Western society mainly accounts for clinica dementia. AD prevention is an important goal of ongoing research. Two objectives must be accomplished to make prevention feasible: i) individuals at high risk of AD need to be identified before the earliest symptoms become evident, by which time extensive neurodegeneration has already occurred and intervention to prevent the disease is likely to be less successful and ii) safe and effective interventions need to be developed that lead to a decrease in expression of this pathology. On the whole, data here reviewed strongly suggest that the measurement of conformationally altered p53 in blood cells has a high ability to discriminate AD cases from normal ageing, Parkinson's disease and other dementias. On the other hand, available data on the involvement of curcumin in restoring cellular homeostasis and rebalancing redox equilibrium, suggest that curcumin might be a useful adjunct in the treatment of neurodegenerative illnesses characterized by inflammation, such as AD.</p
Role of sirtuins, calorie restriction and physical activity in aging.
No full textRecently it has been discovered that Sirtuins represent pivotal regulators of lifespan. Caloric restriction (CR) enhances longevity from yeast to mammals. Whereas the relationship between Sirt-1 and CR is clear, the molecular mechanisms by which Sir2 increases longevity are still unknown. In mammals, CR induces physiological and behavioral changes, and many studies have shown that CR decreases production of reactive oxygen species production thus minimizing oxidative damage, leading to the hypothesis that CR by reducing oxidative stress extends the lifespan by counteraction of aging. In fact, the pathophysiology of aging and age-related diseases involves oxidative stress as an early stage in its development. Recently we found that in aged rats the SIRT1 activity was decreased in heart and adipose tissue, showing as aging is characterized in vivo by a reduced efficiency of this key-regulator of longevity. Whereas several studies have reported that increased physical activity can improve mean life span presumably by reducing mortality risk from many age-related diseases, exercise and longevity studies have failed to document an exercise effect on maximum life span. However, in aged rats a moderate prolonged exercise training is able to induce increase in SIRT1 activity, suggesting that this tool could counteract age-related dysfunctions
Probiotics and oral health
No full textProbiotics are living microorganisms (e.g., bacteria) that are either the same as or similar to organisms found naturally in the human body and may be beneficial to health. Current researches have shown that the balance between beneficial and pathogenic bacteria is essential in order to maintain the oral health. Therefore, oral cavity has recently been suggested as a relevant target for probiotic applications. Dental caries can be seen as a microbial imbalance where the oral microbiota shift towards community dominance which produces acidogenic and acid-tolerant gram positive bacteria. Similarly, the accumulation of bacteria within the biofilm, facilitated by poor oral hygiene, predisposes to allogenic shifts in the microbial community, leading to the onset of periodontal inflammation. Probiotic bacteria belonging to the genus of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus have been proven effective for preventing caries by reducing the number of cariogenic bacteria in saliva after a short period of consuming the probiotic. In contrast, the effect of probiotics on improving gingivitis and periodontitis has been less investigated. The currently available studies on the effect of probiotics on periodontal pathogens and clinical periodontal parameters showed differing results depending on the strains used and the endpoints analyzed. Many of the clinical studies are pilot in nature and with low quality, therefore, properly conducted clinical trials, using probiotic strains with in vitro proven periodontal probiotic effects, are needed. The putative beneficial effects of probiotics on oral malodour have also been evaluated, but further evidence is needed to fully explore the potential of probiotics for preventing malodour
Exploring the impact of flavonoids on symptoms of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textRecent evidence suggests that diet modifies key biological factors associated with the development of depression. It has been suggested that this could be due to the high flavonoid content commonly found in many plant foods, beverages and dietary supplements. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review to evaluate the effects of dietary flavonoids on the symptoms of depression. A total of 46 studies met the eligibility criteria. Of these, 36 were intervention trials and 10 were observational studies. A meta-analysis of 36 clinical trials involving a total of 2788 participants was per-formed. The results showed a statistically significant effect of flavonoids on depressive symptoms (mean difference = −1.65; 95% C.I., −2.54, −0.77; p < 0.01). Five of the 10 observational studies included in the systematic review reported significant results, suggesting that a higher flavonoid intake may improve symptoms of depression. Further studies are urgently required to elucidate whether causal and mechanistic links exist, along with substantiation of functional brain changes associated with flavonoid consumption
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