Health and Aging

Healthy Aging and Longevity

NIH researchers find diabetes drug extends health and lifespan in mice

Long-term treatment with the type 2 diabetes drug metformin improves health and longevity of male mice when started at middle age, reports an international team of scientists led by researchers at the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes Health. The study, which tested two doses of the drug in the male mice, found the higher dose to be toxic in the animals. Scientists emphasized that considerably more research is needed before the implications of metformin for healthy aging are known for humans.

Advice for older people on staying safe in hot weather

Summer often brings excessive heat, which can lead to heat-related problems caused by hyperthermia, an abnormally high body temperature. Older adults and people with chronic medical conditions are particularly susceptible to hyperthermia and are at high risk for heat-related death. The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, has some tips to help older people avoid the hazards of hot weather.

NIA partners with PCORI to develop falls prevention study

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) June 13 announced the formation with NIA of the “Falls Injuries Prevention Partnership,” to fund and conduct a major intervention study aimed at preventing injuries from falls in older adults. PCORI plans to commit up to $30 million to this effort; NIA will work with PCORI stakeholders in design and management of the clinical trial.

SharpSeniors.com

The SharpSeniors.com website provides information on a variety of senior housing options across the US, and provides additional information about financial, legal, and other topics of interest to older people.

Web Site: 
http://www.sharpseniors.com/

NIA supports studies of health needs of LGBT community

As the American population ages, the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals ages 65 and older is also increasing. However, we know surprisingly little about unique health issues and needs that may pertain to this group. Much of the data available are based on small studies and are not nationally representative.

At the intersection of arts and aging

Singing. Dancing. Painting. Acting. Playing a musical instrument. Creative writing.

Many people enjoy some kind of arts activity. Whether it’s singing in a church choir, attending the performance of a play, visiting an art museum, or tap dancing along with a Fred Astaire movie, participating in the arts makes many of us feel good.

A Conversation with…Dr. Richard Suzman

Richard SuzmanDr. Richard Suzman is director of the NIA’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research (DBSR), one of the largest funders of social science research in the country. He joined the NIA staff in 1983 and served previously as chief of Demography and Population Epidemiology.

NIH researchers find gene affects fertility in mice

Increasing activity of a single gene--FOXO3--increases fertility by 31 to 49 percent in female mice, report researchers at the National Institute on Aging, NIH. Variants of the FOXO3 gene have been previously associated with longevity in many animal models, including humans; but, in mice the main effect of loss or increase of FOXO3 is on ovary function.

Link: 
NIH researchers find gene affects fertility in mice

NIH-supported researchers illuminate aging cells in mouse model

A team of researchers, led by scientists at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with support from the National Institute on Aging at the NIH, has developed an innovative approach to study aging cells in living mice. The approach is described in the January 17, 2013, issue of Cell.

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