Article Date: 29 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Rapamycin showed limited effects on aging in older mice
The immunosuppressive drug rapamycin has been shown to increase longevity in mice even when treatment begins at an advanced age. It is unclear if the extension of life also correlates with prolonged health and vigor.
In the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Dan Ehninger and colleagues at the German Center for Neurodegenrative Diseases evaluated age-associated characteristics in mice treated with rapamycin. They found that rapamycin improved memory and spatial learning, reduced thyroid follicle size, and reduced body fat in older mice. However, many of these same attributes were also improved in young mice treated with the drug, indicating an age-independent drug effect.
The prevalence of cancer, a common cause of mouse mortality, was also decreased in older treated mice. The authors did find that rapamycin treatment had no effect on several age related symptoms, including cardiovascular and liver function, loss of muscle mass, strength retention, or balance.
These data suggest that rapamycin treatment may increase lifespan through reduction of cancer rates, and the drug may be useful for relief of some age related conditions.
In the accompanying commentary, Arlan Richards of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio suggests that clinical trials to study the effect of rapamycin on age related neurodegenerative diseases of the elderly such as Alzheimer's disease should be considered.
Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.Visit our seniors / aging section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
MLA
29 Jul. 2013.
Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.
'Rapamycin showed limited effects on aging in older mice'
Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.
All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam). We reserve the right to amend opinions where we deem necessary.
Contact Our News Editors
For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.
Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:
Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment