Adopting Healthy Lifestyle Practices May Help Lower Risks of Stroke, Dementia, and Depression in Old Age
Revamped Perspective:
Aging can significantly increase a person's susceptibility to various health issues, such as stroke, dementia, and depression. A recent study has unveiled a particular aging biological marker that is more common in individuals who develop those conditions as they grow older.
"People are living longer, and with that comes an increased risk of age-related diseases like stroke and dementia," explained Dr. Tamara N. Kimball, the lead author of the newly published study in the prestigious journal Neurology. "The number of folks over 60 is anticipated to skyrocket, so it's vital we identify effective prevention strategies."
Resting within the aged, Dr. Kimball revealed, is an aging biomarker more prevalent among those who develop stroke, dementia, and depression. However, this may not be an insurmountable obstacle, as it appears that people who adopt healthy lifestyle habits may tide over the risks associated with this biomarker.
The researchers examined over 356,000 participants from the UK with an average age of 56. Their focus primarily rested on each participant's leukocyte telomere length, a known aging biomarker.
"Picture your shoelaces with plastic tips to prevent them from fraying - telomeres function similarly for your DNA," Kimball elaborated. "Every time a cell divides, and that happens constantly as your body repairs and maintains itself, these protective tips get slightly shorter. As they become shorter over time, their capacity to protect DNA weakens, promoting cellular aging and boosting the risk of age-related diseases."
"Telomeres in white blood cells can serve as a marker of biological aging and are influenced by genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and environmental stressors," added Kimball.
Upon wrapping up the study, the researchers found that those with the shortest telomere length experienced 5.82 cases of dementia, stroke, and late-life depression per 1,000 person-years, compared to 3.92 cases for those with the longest telomeres. This signified a 1.5 times greater prevalence of the diseases in those with shorter telomeres.
Interestingly, researchers also discovered that study participants with short telomeres and risk factors such as high blood pressure and smoking were 11% more likely to develop stroke, dementia, or depression than those with long telomeres.
Remarkably, however, Dr. Kimball and her team found that participants with short telomeres but a high Brain Care Score (reflected healthy lifestyle factors) did not exhibit an elevated risk of developing the studied brain diseases.
"In individuals with a high Brain Care Score, the association between leukocyte telomere length and disease risk was negligible," explained Kimball. "This might suggest that adopting healthier lifestyles can counter some of the adverse consequences of shorter telomeres."
Research indicates that as much as 60% of dementia cases and up to 87% of strokes are connected to factors we can modify, such as maintaining optimal blood pressure, nutrition, and exercise. Thus, it is crucial to comprehend the molecular mechanisms by which lifestyle interventions exert their influence on cellular aging processes to authenticate prevention strategies and develop more targeted, evidence-based solutions for brain health.
"My research suggests that adopting healthier lifestyles and improving modifiable risk factors may alleviate some of the negative effects of shorter telomeres, which primarily reflect unhealthy lifestyle choices in addition to social and environmental determinants of health earlier in life," said Kimball. "In other words, it's never too late to prioritize your brain health."
- Seniors with shorter leukocyte telomere length, a known aging biomarker, experienced a higher prevalence of dementia, stroke, and late-life depression.
- Science has unveiled a particular aging biological marker that is more common in individuals who develop stroke, dementia, and depression as they grow older.
- A healthy lifestyle, reflected by a high Brain Care Score, may help counter the adverse consequences of shorter telomeres in relation to the risk of developing dementia, stroke, and depression.
- With aging, people's susceptibility to various health issues like stroke, dementia, and depression increases, making it vital to identify effective prevention strategies.
- The number of people over 60 is anticipated to skyrocket, so it's crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms behind lifestyle interventions and cellular aging processes.
- Maintaining optimal blood pressure, nutrition, and exercise can help reduce the risk of developing up to 87% of strokes and as much as 60% of dementia cases.
- Genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and environmental stressors all influence telomeres in white blood cells, which serve as a marker of biological aging.
