Search results for " longevity"

Bioimpedance: a new approach for studying longevity

2017

Centenarians are the best model to study successful ageing. Unfortunately, they are rare and do not have an aged-matched control population to compare their exceptional characteristics with non-longevous people. Considering the complexity of molecular studies, the opportunity to analyse the centenarian phenotype with anthropometry could be an easy and no invasive interesting solution to identify peculiar measurable variables. In addition to the classic measurements, the bioelectrical impedance could be considered. This method permits to analyse the body composition, in terms of fat free mass and fat mass. Ageing is related to reduced fat free mass and increased body fat. The reduction of th…

Updates in Pathobiology: Causality and Chance in Ageing, Age-Related Diseases and Longevity

2017

The relationship between causality and chance is an open discussion in many disciplines. Often, the boundary among these events is thin to understand if an occurrence is related to one or to both. In particular, ageing, the related diseases, and longevity are difficult to define as consequence of causality, chance or both.

Mediterranean Diet as a tool for achieving successful ageing

2017

Targeted interventions to slow or postpone ageing and to favour an active life expectancy represent the new perspectives in ageing investigation. Some mechanisms that delay or prevent the onset of ageing disabilities and pathologies have been identified. In general, maintaining a healthy lifestyle seems to reduce many risk factors. In particular, eating habits represent the most concrete and low-cost method to address ageing. Of all dietary habits analysed, the Mediterranean diet has received much attention since it has consistently proven its beneficial influence on health and longevity. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by low glycaemic index and low animal protein intake, it is ric…

Healthy eating as a strategy to achieve successful ageing: focus on Mediterranean diet and functional foods.

People want to live longer. To date, it is impossible not to grow older, but it is desirable to get older in good health, avoiding age-related disabilities. To do this, it is necessary to have a healthy lifestyle which can limit the damage caused by the environmental hazards that face us each day. In humans, healthy ageing and longevity are modulated by a fortunate interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Regarding the latter, physical activity and healthy dietary habits are the most important modifiable factors that can affect the maintenance of a healthy ageing phenotype. A feasible diet that reduces the risk of ageing-related diseases, promoting health ageing and longevity,…

Fasting and "Fasting mimicking diet" (FMD) an effective intervention to promote longevity and health span

Age-associated changes in circulatory fatty acids: new insights on adults and long-lived individuals

2022

Long-lived individuals (LLIs) are considered an ideal model to study healthy human aging. Blood fatty acid (FA) profile of a cohort of LLIs (90–111 years old, n = 49) from Sicily was compared to adults (18–64 years old, n = 69) and older adults (65–89 years old, n = 54) from the same area. Genetic variants in key enzymes related to FA biosynthesis and metabolism were also genotyped to investigate a potential genetic predisposition in determining the FA profile. Gas chromatography was employed to determine the FA profile, and genotyping was performed using high-resolution melt (HRM) analysis. Blood levels of total polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and total trans-FA decreased with age, while the lev…

Proceedings of the Symposium “Updates in Pathobiology: Causality and Chance in Ageing, Age-related diseases and Longevity”

2017

The Symposium "Updates in Pathobiology: Causality and Chance in Ageing, Age-related diseases and Longevity" was held on March 24 in Palermo, 2017 (Sala delle Capriate, Palazzo Chiaramonte Steri), the day after exams for obtaining the title of PhD in Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology XXIX, Cycle (Coordinator Prof. Calogero Caruso) by seven PhD candidates; four of them have been awarded the title of Doctor Europaeus.

Role of TLR Polymorphisms in Aging and Age-Related Diseases

2017

Innate immunity provides the first line of host defense against infection by recognizing and killing microbes, and simultaneously activating an instructive immune response. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are principal mediators of rapid microbial recognition, and they mainly function by detecting exogenous pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Recognition of their ligands actives signaling ways, which culminate in evocating acute host responses, involved in killing pathogens. Here, we describe the involvement of TLR4 polymorphisms in aging, and particularly in immunosenescence and age-related diseases, suggesting the crucial role of molecules of innate immunity in the pathophysiology of these…

Phenotypic Aspects of Longevity

2019

Centenarians are individuals who live over the average life span characteristic of their population. The growing number of old people worldwide makes it necessary to identify a good strategy to reach healthy ageing and avoid or delay age-related diseases. The longevity phenotype is the result of a positive combination between genetic, epigenetic, stochastic and lifestyle factors. So, the analysis of all the known parameters that can influence these single elements or their interaction can give new possible elements to delineate a sort of longevity signature. Starting from the easiest biomarkers as the haematochemical values and reaching the study of molecular and cellular components, as the…

Insulin pathway and its correlation with ageing and longevity

2014

Ageing is unavoidable and leads to the reduction of the ability to adapt to the environment, involving the organism at all levels. Approximately 25% of the overall variation in human lifespan can be attributed to genetic factors, which become more relevant for extreme longevity. A “favourable” genetic background is essential to live longer. Longevity depends on the survival after reproduction and genes that lead to longevity are “survival genes” rather than “longevity genes”. But human population is very heterogeneous because of the different genetic background and different environmental stimuli thus it has not been yet possible to identify a clear panel of biomarkers of ageing and longevi…