Survivors of weather-related disasters may have accelerated aging

February 7, 2022

Science Daily/Arizona State University

When Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico in September 2017 as a high-end category 4 storm, it left in its wake the largest catastrophe in the history of the island. The storm killed over 3,000 people in its immediate aftermath, knocked out power to nearly all of the island's 3.4 million residents, and caused more than $100 billion in damages.

What was the toll of this stress and adversity on the long-term health of its population? And could exposure to extreme weather events accelerate the aging process?

"While everyone ages, we don't all age at the same rate, and our lived experiences, both negative and positive, can alter this pace of aging. One negative life experience, surviving an extreme event, can lead to chronic inflammation and the early onset of some age-related diseases, like heart disease," said corresponding author Noah Snyder-Mackler, an assistant professor at Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences. "But we still don't know exactly how these events get embedded in our bodies leading to negative health effects that may not show up until decades after the event itself."

As the final impact on the survivors' mental and physical health remains to be tallied, a group of biologists led by Snyder-Mackler have looked toward one of our close evolutionary cousins for the first clues.

Along with the human toll, the devastation impacted all the island's wildlife, including a group of free-ranging rhesus macaques living on the isolated Cayo Santiago island near Puerto Rico. The animals have lived on the island since 1938, when the Caribbean Primate Research Center field station first opened.

Now, the ASU team, led by Snyder-Mackler and lead author Marina Watowich-a graduate student at the University of Washington and research scientist at ASU, and their collaborators at the Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, University of Exeter and New York University, have published (will include DOI) one of the first results that shows the effects of natural disasters may have molecularly accelerated aging in the monkeys' immune systems.

Accelerated aging

As a high-end category 4 hurricane, Maria caused massive devastation to the natural habitat and research infrastructure on Cayo Santiago. Remarkably, only 2.75% of the macaque population died in the immediate aftermath of the storm. And in the year after the hurricane, there was no difference in survival. But, was the health of the hurricane survivors affected in other ways?

People of the same chronological age- the number of years since birth-can differ in when and if they develop disease. It is well-established that people who have suffered extremely adverse experiences have higher risk of developing heart disease and other diseases more common in older individuals. How these detrimental experiences 'get under the skin' to promote disease is still unknown. One idea is that this phenomenon is potentially due to extreme adversity 'aging' the body. People can differ in their biological age, which can be measured by molecular signposts embedded in our genes, immune system and physiology.

"From this study, we have measured the molecular changes associated with aging, including disruptions of protein-folding genes, greater inflammatory immune cell marker gene expression and older biological aging," said Watowich.

After a careful analysis of the genes expressed in the macaques' immune cells, the researchers found that the adversity resulting from the hurricane may have accelerated aging of the immune system.

"On average, monkeys who lived through the Hurricane had immune gene expression profiles that had aged 2 extra years, or approximately 7-8 years of human lifespan," said Watowich.

The findings suggest that severe weather events -- -which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change -- may lead to biologically detrimental consequences for those who experience them. This is especially pressing given that hurricanes and other extreme weather events are becoming stronger and more common with climate change.

Biological aging

One kilometer off the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico lies Cayo Santiago, a 15.2-hectare island home to a population of 1,800 free-ranging rhesus macaques that have been studied for almost a century.

"Cayo Santiago was the first part of Puerto Rico hit by Hurricane Maria and took on the full force of the category 4 storm," said Snyder-Mackler. "The hurricane destroyed homes and infrastructure across Puerto Rico, and on Cayo Santiago it decimated most of the vegetation, as well as the water cisterns and research infrastructure needed to maintain the field station."

The rhesus macaques share many behavioral and biological features of people, including how their bodies age, but compressed into a lifespan one quarter of ours. By studying the macaques, the scientific team knew they could get estimates of aging in years rather than the decades from equivalent human studies.

To test how Hurricane Maria influenced immune cell gene regulation and aging, Marina Watowich and the rest of the team were able to leverage a collection of blood samples and history of detailed demographic data from age-matched subsets of the Cayo Santiago rhesus macaque population.

By performing a global analysis of immune gene expression, they found 4% of genes expressed in immune cells were altered after the hurricane. Of these, genes that had higher expression after the hurricane were involved in inflammation, and genes dampened by the hurricane were those involved in protein translation, protein folding/refolding, the adaptive immune response and T cells.

The down regulation of so-called heat shock genes, which promote the proper function of protein-making in our cells, was most affected, some with two-times lower activity after Hurricane Maria. These genes have also been implicated in cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease.

Remarkably, they found a strong correlation in the hurricane exposure and aging effects on gene expression, where the effect of the hurricane was similar to the effect of the immune system getting older.

To understand how the hurricane may have affected amounts of immune cell populations, they looked at profiles from single-cell RNA sequencing to identify genes that are preferentially expressed in key immune cell types.

"Overall, cell-specific markers of canonical pro-inflammatory immune cells, such as CD14+ monocytes, had higher expression in older individuals and those that experienced the hurricane. Further, expression of helper T-cell genes, an anti-inflammatory cell type, decreased in older animals and those after the hurricane. Together, this possibly implicates more inflammatory activity in animals after storm, similar to what we see in older individuals," said Snyder-Mackler.

Getting under the skin

From their long-term studies, as part of a collaboration with the Caribbean Primate Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, University of Exeter and New York University, they had four years of data prior to Hurricane Maria (n = 435) and one year after (n = 108) Hurricane Maria. They hypothesized that exposure to the hurricane would recapitulate molecular changes associated with the natural process of aging.

"Our findings suggest that differences in immune cell gene expression in individuals exposed to an extreme natural disaster were in many ways similar to the effects of the natural aging process," said Snyder-Mackler. "We also observed evidence for accelerated biological aging in samples collected after animals experienced Hurricane Maria."

"Importantly, we identify a critical mechanism-immune cell gene regulation-that may explain how adversity, specifically in the context of natural disasters, may ultimately 'get under the skin' to drive age-associated disease onset and progression," said Watowich.

Interestingly, not all monkeys responded similarly to the hurricane. For example, some monkeys' biological ages increased much more than others. The team hypothesizes that there may be other aspects of the monkey's environment that can influence their response to adversity.

For example, just like in people, social support is a critical aspect of the ability to help cope and deal with adversity. It is possible that monkeys with greater social support after the storm were better able to overcome any detrimental effects-an aspect the team hopes to investigate soon. The study did have its limitations, foremost, that they could not measure aging rates within the same individuals before or after the hurricane.

For future studies, they hope the work can expand to include longer-term studies of for every individual within a population to learn more about the intersection between biological aging, adversity and social structures and in the face of a natural disaster.

Lastly, they hope their results will encourage efforts to develop a better understanding of aging and adversity and one day, even a successful mitigation strategy to lessen the toll from natural disasters.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220207155437.htm

Poor sleep can triple risk for heart disease

February 7, 2022

Science Daily/University of South Florida (USF Innovation)

Individual aspects of poor sleep can be detrimental to heart health. But if you combine them, the risk of heart disease can increase by as much as 141 percent. That's the finding of a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The University of South Florida-led study reviewed sleep data of 6,820 U.S. adults with an average age of 53 who self-reported their sleep characteristics and heart disease history. Among the participants, 633 also wore a research device (actigraphy) around their wrist that captured sleep activity.

Researchers focused on multiple aspects of sleep health, such as regularity, satisfaction, alertness during waking hours, timing of sleep, sleep efficiency and sleep duration and linked them to physician-diagnosed heart disease. They found that each additional increase in self-reported sleep health problems was associated with a 54 percent increased risk of heart disease. The estimated risk of heart disease associated with an increase in sleep health problems was much higher for those who provided sleep data by both self-report and the research device. They had a 141 percent increase -- a figure that could be perceived to be more accurate.

"These findings show the importance of assessing 'co-existing sleep health problems' within an individual to capture the risk of heart disease. This is one of the first studies showing that, among well-functioning adults in midlife, having more sleep health problems may increase the risk of heart disease," said lead author Soomi Lee, assistant professor of aging studies and director of the STEALTH lab at USF. "The higher estimated risk in those who provided both self-report and actigraphy sleep data suggests that measuring sleep health accurately and comprehensively is important to increase the prediction of heart disease."

The research team asked participants about their health, including if their physician confirmed a heart condition such as arrythmia, heart murmur or an enlarged heart. High blood pressure was not considered a diagnosis as it's labeled a risk factor for heart disease rather than a heart disease condition. They also controlled for family history of heart disease and sociodemographic factors, such as race, sex, smoking, depression and physical activity.

Researchers found that while women reported having more sleep health problems, men were more likely to suffer heart disease -- yet gender did not impact the overall correlation between the two factors. They also found that Black participants had more sleep health problems and a higher prevalence of heart disease than white participants, but the strong association between sleep health and heart disease did not differ by race in general.

Lee says while sleep health is important for all ages, the team focused on middle adulthood as it spans for a longer period of time and consists of diverse and more stressful life experiences due to work and family roles. This is also when precursors for heart disease and age-related sleep issues begin to arise.

Since sleep health can be modified, researchers say these findings can contribute to future prevention strategies to mitigate the risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220207155642.htm

Human gut bacteria have 'sex' to share vitamin B12

Essential nutrient passes between cells via ‘jumping genes’

February 1, 2022

Science Daily/University of California - Riverside

Your gut bacteria need vitamin B12 just as much as you do. Though DNA is usually passed from parent to child, new research shows gut bacteria transfer genes through "sex" in order to take their vitamins.

Without vitamin B12, most types of living cells cannot function. As a result, there is strong competition for it in nature. A new UC Riverside study demonstrates beneficial gut microbes share the ability to acquire this precious resource with one another through a process called bacterial sex.

"The process involves one cell forming a tube that DNA can pass through to another cell," said UCR microbiologist and study lead Patrick Degnan. "It's as if two humans had sex, and now they both have red hair."

Scientists have known about this process for decades, and its ability to transfer what are known as "jumping genes" between organisms. Until now, the majority of studied examples have been responsible for helping bacterial cells stay alive when people ingest antibiotics.

"We're excited about this study because it shows that this process isn't only for antibiotic resistance. The horizontal gene exchange among microbes is likely used for anything that increases their ability to survive, including sharing vitamin B12," Degnan said.

Results of the study have been published in the journal Cell Reports. 

Previously, Degnan worked on a project in which he and his colleagues identified an important transporter responsible for getting B12 into gut microbial cells. More recently, he was studying jumping genes, trying to identify what kinds of information they were transferring. Quickly, Degnan recognized the vitamin B12 transporters as the cargo.

To demonstrate what they suspected, Degnan and his team mixed bacteria that could transport B12 and some that couldn't. Being on a dish together gave the bacteria an opportunity to form a tube called a sex pillus that facilitated the transfer. After, they identified that bacteria previously unable to transport B12 were all still alive and had acquired the genes with the ability to transport B12.

They did a second experiment examining the entire genome of the bacteria.

"In a given organism, we can see bands of DNA that are like fingerprints. The recipients of the B12 transporters had an extra band showing the new DNA they got from a donor," Degnan said.

Not only was the experiment successful in test tubes, but also inside mice.

The type of beneficial gut bacteria used in the study are Bacteroides, which reside in the large intestines of most people. One of their most important services to humans is breaking down complex carbohydrates for energy.

"The big, long molecules from sweet potatoes, beans, whole grains, and vegetables would pass through our bodies entirely without these bacteria. They break those down so we can get energy from them," Degnan explained.

Bacteroides, along with other bacteria, also give our guts a barrier layer that can help restrict pathogens from invading. For example, previous research led by co-author Ansel Hsiao, also at UC Riverside, shows some humans have communities of microbes in their gut that make them more resistant to cholera.

Learning how to keep these bacteria healthy could also help benefit people, given the important services they perform.

"There's no one way to have a healthy microbiome, but generally, having a diverse community of anaerobic bacteria is a healthy thing and can have beneficial effects," Degnan said.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/02/220201074525.htm

Even light drinking can be harmful to health

Research reveals cardiovascular risk of consuming small quantities of alcohol

January 28, 2022

Science Daily/Anglia Ruskin University

Drinking less than the UK's recommended limit of 14 units of alcohol per week still increases the risk of cardiovascular issues such as heart and cerebrovascular disease, according to new research published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

Academics from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) examined hospitalisations related to cardiovascular events among more than 350,000 UK residents aged between 40 and 69 from data obtained from the UK Biobank study.

The sample included 333,259 people who drank alcohol. Participants had been asked about their overall weekly alcohol intake and their intake of specific types of alcohol including beer, wine and spirits. Those participants were followed up for a median of approximately seven years, capturing all incidents where patients had been hospitalised through cardiovascular events.

Anyone who had suffered a previous cardiovascular event was excluded from the analysis, as were former drinkers or those who had not completed information on alcohol intake.

The analysis found that, for those participants that drank less than 14 units of alcohol per week -- the limit recommended by the UK's Chief Medical Officers -- each additional 1.5 pints of beer at 4% strength (alcohol by volume) is associated with a 23% increased risk of suffering a cardiovascular event.

The authors argue that biases in existing epidemiological evidence have resulted in the widespread acceptance of the "J-shaped curve" that wrongly suggests low to moderate alcohol consumption can be beneficial to cardiovascular health.

These biases include using non-drinkers as a reference group when many do not drink for reasons of existing poor health, pooling of all drink types when determining the alcohol intake of a study population, and embedding the lower risk observed of coronary artery disease among wine drinkers, potentially distorting the overall cardiovascular risk from the drink.

Lead author Dr Rudolph Schutte, course leader for the BSc Hons Medical Science programme and Associate Professor at ARU, said:

"The so-called J-shaped curve of the cardiovascular disease-alcohol consumption relationship suggesting health benefit from low to moderate alcohol consumption is the biggest myth since we were told smoking was good for us.

"Among drinkers of beer, cider and spirits in particular, even those consuming under 14 units a week had an increased risk of ending up in hospital through a cardiovascular event involving the heart or the blood vessels. While we hear much about wine drinkers having lower risk of coronary artery disease, our data shows their risk of other cardiovascular events is not reduced.

"Biases embedded in epidemiological evidence mask or underestimate the hazards associated with alcohol consumption. When these biases are accounted for, the adverse effects of even low-level alcohol consumption are revealed.

"Avoiding these biases in future research would mitigate current confusion and hopefully lead to a strengthening of the guidelines, seeing the current alcohol guidance reduced."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220128100730.htm

Blood proteins could be the key to a long and healthy life

January 24, 2022

Science Daily/University of Edinburgh

Two blood proteins have been shown by scientists to influence how long and healthy a life we live, research suggests.

Developing drugs that target these proteins could be one way of slowing the ageing process, according to the largest genetic study of ageing.

As we age, our bodies begin to decline after we reach adulthood, which results in age-related diseases and death. This latest research investigates which proteins could influence the ageing process.

Many complex and related factors determine the rate at which we age and die, and these include genetics, lifestyle, environment and chance. The study sheds light on the part proteins play in this process.

Some people naturally have higher or lower levels of certain proteins because of the DNA they inherit from their parents. These protein levels can, in turn, affect a person's health.

University of Edinburgh researchers combined the results of six large genetic studies into human ageing -- each containing genetic information on hundreds of thousands of people,

Among 857 proteins studied, researchers identified two that had significant negative effects across various ageing measures.

People who inherited DNA that causes raised levels of these proteins were frailer, had poorer self-rated health and were less likely to live an exceptionally long life than those who did not. .

The first protein, called apolipoprotein(a) (LPA), is made in the liver and thought to play a role in clotting. High levels of LPA can increase the risk of atherosclerosis -- a condition in which arteries become clogged with fatty substances. Heart disease and stroke is a possible outcome.

The second protein, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1), is primarily found on the surfaces of endothelial cells -- a single-cell layer that lines blood vessels. The protein controls vessels' expansion and retraction -- and function in blood clotting and the immune response.

Levels of VCAM1 increase when the body sends signals to indicate it has detected an infection, VCAM1 then allows immune cells to cross the endothelial layer, as seen for people who have naturally low levels of these proteins.

The researchers say that drugs used to treat diseases by reducing levels of LPA and VCAM1 could have the added benefit of improving quality and length of life.

One such example is a clinical trial that is testing a drug to lower LPA as a way of reducing the risk of heart disease.

There are currently no clinical trials involving VCAM1, but studies in mice have shown how antibodies lowering this protein's level improved cognition during old age.

The findings have been published in the journal Nature Aging.

Dr Paul Timmers, lead researcher at the MRC Human Genetics Unit at University of Edinburgh, said: "The identification of these two key proteins could help extend the healthy years of life. Drugs that lower these protein levels in our blood could allow the average person to live as healthy and as long as individuals who have won the genetic lottery and are born with genetically low LPA and VCAM1 levels."

Professor Jim Wilson, Chair of Human Genetics at the University of Edinburgh's Usher Institute, said: "This study showcases the power of modern genetics to identify two potential targets for future drugs to extend lifespan."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220124203745.htm

Predicting Long COVID at initial point of COVID-19 diagnosis: Study finds several warning factors

January 25, 2022

Science Daily/Institute for Systems Biology

A study has identified four predictive factors of Post Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), often called long COVID. These 'PASC factors' can be identified at the initial point of COVID-19 diagnosis and can anticipate if a patient is likely to develop long COVID. Additionally, researchers found that mild cases of COVID-19, not just severe cases, are associated with long COVID, and that administering antivirals very early in the disease course may potentially prevent some PASC.

A significant portion of people who contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus -- some estimates suggest more than 40 percent -- suffer chronic effects known as Post Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), commonly referred to as long COVID. PASC symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, the loss of taste and smell, shortness of breath, and more.

Now, researchers have identified several factors that can be measured at the initial point of COVID-19 diagnosis that anticipate if a patient is likely to develop long COVID. These "PASC factors" are the presence of certain autoantibodies, pre-existing Type 2 diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in the blood, and Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels in blood.

"Identifying these PASC factors is a major step forward for not only understanding long COVID and potentially treating it, but also which patients are at highest risk for the development of chronic conditions," said ISB President, Dr. Jim Heath, co-corresponding author of a research paper that will be published by the journal Cell. "These findings are also helping us frame our thinking around other chronic conditions, such as post-acute Lyme syndrome, for example."

Additionally, researchers found that mild cases of COVID-19, not just severe cases, are associated with long COVID. They also suggest that administering antivirals very early in the disease course may potentially prevent some PASC.

"Long COVID is causing significant morbidity in survivors of COVID-19, yet the pathobiology is poorly understood," said Dr. Jason Goldman, co-corresponding author of the paper and an infectious disease expert at Swedish. "Our study pairs clinical data and patient-reported outcomes with deep multi-omic analyses to unravel important biological associations that occur in patients with PASC. Certain findings such as the low cortisol state in patients with long COVID have potential to translate rapidly to the clinic. Our results form an important foundation for the development of therapeutics to treat long COVID."

Researchers collected blood and swab samples from 309 COVID-19 patients at different time points to perform comprehensive phenotyping which was integrated with clinical data and patient-reported symptoms to carry out a deep multi-omic, longitudinal investigation.

A key finding from the study deals with viral load, which can be measured near diagnosis to predict long COVID symptoms. "We found that early blood viral measurements are strongly associated with certain long COVID symptoms that patients will develop months later," said Dr. Yapeng Su, a co-first and co-corresponding author of the paper.

In addition, researchers found the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) -- a virus that infects 90 percent of the human population and is normally inactive in the body after infection -- is reactivated early on after SARS-CoV-2 infection, which is significantly associated with future long COVID symptoms. "This may be related to immune dysregulation during COVID-19 infection," Su added.

The team also found that PASC is anticipated by autoantibodies (which associate with autoimmune diseases like lupus) at diagnosis, and that as autoantibodies increase, protective SARS-CoV-2 antibodies decrease. This suggests a relationship between long COVID, autoantibodies and patients at elevated risk of re-infections.

"Many patients with high autoantibodies simultaneously have low (protective) antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, and that's going to make them more susceptible to breakthrough infections," said Daniel Chen, a co-first author of the paper.

The research project was a collaboration between ISB, Providence, Swedish the University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Stanford, UCLA, UCSF, and others.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220120165100.htm

Why the Omicron variant causes less severe disease

Eight COVID-19 drugs remain active against Omicron in cell culture study

January 24, 2022

Science Daily/Goethe University Frankfurt

A new study shows that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is less effective than Delta at blocking a cellular defense mechanism against viruses, the so-called 'interferon response'. Moreover, cell culture findings indicate that eight important COVID-19 drugs and drug candidates remain effective against Omicron.

A new study by researchers from the University of Kent and the Goethe University Frankfurt shows that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is less effective than Delta at blocking a cellular defence mechanism against viruses, the so-called "interferon response." Moreover, cell culture findings indicate that eight important COVID-19 drugs and drug candidates remain effective against Omicron.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant causes less severe disease than Delta although it is better at escaping immune protection by vaccinations and previous infections. The reasons for this have so far remained elusive.

A new study by a research team with scientists from the University of Kent and the Goethe-University Frankfurt has now shown that Omicron variant viruses are particularly sensitive to inhibition by the so-called interferon response, an unspecific immune response that is present in all body cells. This provides the first explanation of why COVID-19 patients infected with the Omicron variant are less likely to experience severe disease.

The cell culture study also showed that Omicron viruses remain sensitive to eight of the most important antiviral drugs and drug candidates for the treatment of COVID-19. This included: EIDD-1931 (active metabolite of molnupiravir), ribavirin, remdesivir, favipravir, PF-07321332 (nirmatrelvir, active ingredient of paxlovid), nafamostat, camostat, and aprotinin.

Prof Martin Michaelis, School of Bioscience, University of Kent, said: "Our study provides for the first time an explanation, why Omicron infections are less likely to cause severe disease. This is due to Omicron, in contrast to Delta, does not effectively inhibit the host cell interferon immune response."

Prof. Jindrich Cinatl, Institute of Medical Virology at the Goethe-University, added: "Although cell culture experiments do not exactly reflect the more complex situation in a patient, our data provide encouraging evidence that the available antiviral COVID-19 drugs are also effective against Omicron."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220124203747.htm

How can body weight affect the mortality risk of excessive drinkers?

January 24, 2022

Science Daily/Penn State

While research has long shown a higher risk of death linked to alcoholism for people with overweight, a new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence has found that people with underweight who drink excessively may be at an even higher risk of dying from heart disease, cancer and other causes.

The study was based on data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which has a nationally representative sample of more than 200,000 U.S. adults aged 35-85, interviewed between Jan. 1, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2011. The researchers analyzed data on mortality risk among drinkers and non-drinkers using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) categories to define "underweight," "normal weight," "overweight" and "obesity."

"The NHIS is like a 'selfie' for the U.S. because it is a snapshot of health behaviors of people from every type of background," said Muntasir Masum, postdoctoral scholar at the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center at Penn State. "We expected to see a link between obesity and mortality related to alcoholism, and we were surprised to see that the link was especially pronounced for people with underweight who drink excessively."

The CDC defines underweight as having a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5 using the calculation of person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters. According to the CDC, BMI is a screening tool, but it does not diagnose "body fatness or the health of an individual."

Further research is needed into how having underweight could contribute to mortality in people who drink excessively. Masum suggested that multiple factors could be at play, such as how people handle stress and whether they have co-occurring health issues or nutritional deficiencies.

"I hope these findings encourage people to eliminate risks that may lead to a life-or-death situation," said Masum.

Excessive alcohol use is the third most common cause of preventable death in the U.S. and is estimated to cause 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults in the U.S., according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220124115035.htm

Breathing: The master clock of the sleeping brain

January 24, 2022

Science Daily/Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

LMU neuroscientists have shown that breathing coordinates neuronal activity throughout the brain during sleep and quiet.

While we sleep, the brain is not switched off, but is busy with "saving" the important memories of the day. To achieve that, brain regions are synchronized to coordinate the transmission of information between them. Yet, the mechanisms that enable this synchronization across multiple remote brain regions are not well understood. Traditionally, these mechanisms were sought in correlated activity patterns within the brain. However, LMU neuroscientists Prof. Anton Sirota and Dr. Nikolas Karalis have now been able to show that breathing acts as a pacemaker that entrains the various brain regions and synchronizes them with each other.

Breathing is the most persistent and essential bodily rhythm and exerts a strong physiological effect on the autonomous nervous system. It is also known to modulate a wide range of cognitive functions such as perception, attention, and thought structure. However, the mechanisms of its impact on cognitive function and the brain are largely unknown.

The scientists performed large-scale in vivo electrophysiological recordings in mice, from thousands of neurons across the limbic system. They showed that respiration entrains and coordinates neuronal activity in all investigated brain regions -- including the hippocampus, medial prefrontal and visual cortex, thalamus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens -- by modulating the excitability of these circuits in olfaction-independent way. "Thus, we were able to prove the existence of a novel non-olfactory, intracerebral, mechanismthat accounts for the entrainment of distributed circuits by breathing, which we termed "respiratory corollary discharge," says Karalis, who is currently research fellow at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research in Basel. "Our findings identify the existence of a previously unknown link between respiratory and limbic circuits and are a departure from the standard belief that breathing modulates brain activity via the nose-olfactory route," underlines Sirota.

This mechanism mediates the coordination of sleep-related activity in these brain regions, which is essential for memory consolidation and provides the means for the co-modulation of the cortico-hippocampal circuits synchronous dynamics. According to the authors, these results represent a major step forward and provide the foundation for new mechanistic theories, that incorporate the respiratory rhythm as a fundamental mechanism underlying the communication of distributed systems during memory consolidation

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220124103856.htm

Mediterranean diet associated with a lower risk of mortality in older adults

January 20, 2022

Science Daily/University of Barcelona

A greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet which had been assessed through an index made with biomarkers during a 20-year scientific monitoring is associated with a lower mortality in adults over 65. This is one of the main conclusions of a study led by Cristina Andrés-Lacueva, head of the Research Group on Biomarkers and Nutritional & Food Metabolomics of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona (UB) and the CIBER on Fragility and Healthy Ageing (CIBERFES), also formed by the Food Innovation Network of Catalonia (XIA).

he paper, published in the journal BCM Medicine, has been carried out in collaboration with the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) of the United States. According to the conclusions, the analysis of dietary biomarkers in plasma and urine can contribute to the individualized food assessment for old people. The study is based on the InCHIANTI project, conducted in the region of the Italian Tuscany, a study that has been carried out during twenty years in a total of 642 participants (56% women) aged over 65 or more and which enabled researchers to obtain complete data on food biomarkers.

As stated by the UB Professor Cristina Andrés-Lacueva, head of the research group in CIBERFES, "we develop an index of dietary biomarkers based on food groups that are part of the Mediterranean diet, and we assess their association with mortality."

In the study, researchers chose the reference levels of the following dietary biomarkers in the urine: total polyphenols and resveratrol metabolites (from grape intake) and presents in plasma, plasma carotenoids, selenium, vitamin B12, fatty acids and their proportion of monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Using a predictive model, they assessed the associations of the Mediterranean diet index and the food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with mortality.

During the twenty years of monitoring, there were 425 deaths (139 due to cardiovascular diseases and 89 due to cancer-related causes). Once the models were analysed, the score of the Mediterranean diet using the biomarkers was inversely associated with all causes of death.

This study highlights the use of dietary biomarkers to improve the nutritional assessment and guide a customized assessment for older people. As noted by the CIBERFES researcher of the UB Tomás Meroño, co-first signatory of the study, the researchers "confirm that an adherence to the Mediterranean diet assessed by a panel of dietary biomarkers is inversely associated with the long-term mortality in older adults, which supports the use of these biomarkers in monitoring evaluations to study the health benefits associated with the Mediterranean diet."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220120103400.htm