The Aging process can be slowed

A group of scientists in the U.S. say that part of the brain that controls growth also plays an important role in initiating the process of aging. In a paper published in the journal Nature, these experts say research on mice showed the chemicals in the brain that called nipotalamus could be speed up or slow down the aging process.

Researchers found they could extend the lives of mice by a fifth. (Picture from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

From this research revealed that a chemical called NF-kB increasingly active in the rat hypothalamus when they get older. When the researchers blocked this chemical, the age of mice increases 1,100 day while the other mice, which do not experience blocking NF-kB increased 600 - 1,000 days. When the amount of NF-kB added to all, the mice died within 900 days, "We are delighted with the results of this research," said Dongsheng Cai, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, to the British newspaper, The Guardian.

Tests on the animals six months into the study found that those without NF-kB had more muscle and bone, were better at learning, and had healthier skin than controls.

Further work showed that NF-kB lowered levels of a hormone called GnRH, which is better known for the central role it plays in fertility and the development of sperm and eggs. When the scientists gave old mice daily jabs of GnRH, they found this too extended the animals' lives, and even caused fresh neurons to grow in their brains.

Cai said there may be several ways to slow down ageing, with drugs that dampen the activity of NF-kB in the brain, or raise levels of GnRH. "For now, we are going to work on understanding the mechanism," he said.

"This study supports the assumption that aging is not just a matter of weakening the function of various tissues in our body. The aging can be controlled and manipulated," he explained. Some circles say this research could proceed with finding a cure to prolong human life or prevent the onset of health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer's. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BBC | THE GUARDIAN | JAM | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 23052013]

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