Adopting Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Reduce Risks of Stroke, Dementia, and Depression in Older Adults
Aging's Unhealthy Side Effects and a Promising Biomarker
Growing older can pose various health threats, such as those nasty things called stroke, , and late-life depression. You know, the ones that no one wants to encounter in their golden years.
A recent study has managed to pinpoint an aging biomarker that seems to pop up more often in individuals suffering from stroke, dementia, and depression as they age.
"Stroke and dementia are two of the most prevalent age-related diseases, causing a hassle for people, families, and healthcare systems alike," says Tamara N. Kimball, MD, a post-doctoral research fellow in the Brain Care Labs at Mass General Brigham. "As the number of people ages 60 and over keeps expanding, finding effective prevention strategies has become a matter of urgency."
Kimball, lead author of the study published in Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology's medical journal, found this aging biomarker to be particularly common within the study group.
So, what's this mysterious marker? Imagine your shoelaces have protective tips that prevent fraying - telomeres work similarly for your DNA. Every time a cell divides (happening constantly as your body repairs), these protective tips get a bit shorter. As they become shorter, their ability to protect DNA diminishes, leading to cellular aging and an increased susceptibility to age-related diseases.
Researchers analyzed medical records for over 356,000 adults with an average age of 56, focusing on their leukocyte telomere length. Short telomeres were apparent in those who developed the aforementioned diseases, increasing their risk by about 1.5 times. But, here's a silver lining: good lifestyle choices seemed to counterbalance this risk.
Leukocyte telomere length can serve as a marker of biological aging and is influenced by genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and environmental stressors. "With up to 85% of strokes and 45% of dementia cases being linked to modifiable risk factors like blood pressure, diet, and exercise, understanding the mechanisms that allow lifestyle interventions to influence cellular aging processes is crucial for validating prevention strategies and developing evidence-based strategies for brain health," Kimball explains.
You might wonder if it's too late to adopt healthier habits. Thankfully, the answer is a resounding no! Kimball and her team discovered that even people with short telomeres, but who followed a healthier lifestyle, didn't show an increased risk for stroke, dementia, or depression. It seems that adopting healthier habits can help mitigate the negative effects of short telomeres.
Clifford Segil, a private practice adult neurologist, is excited about this research. "Anytime a common pathology is found between disparate neurological disease states, it's exciting, as this research may spark a novel therapy," Segil said.
In other words, good habits can lead to a healthier you, even as you age. So, hit the gym, eat well, and catch those precious ZZZs - your brain will thank you!
[1] Tamara N. Kimball, Adama Guétant-Rogers, Angela M. Spencer, Lisa A. Crockett, Katherine L. Annis, Denise K. Kratz, Alizea M. Moscoso, Kuan-Pin Su, Joanna E. Ward, Christopher A D'Ambrosio, Hanyu Ni, Paul M. Matte, M. Shivaprasad Reddy, Aron S. Buchman, Stacey L. Washington, Hang Zhou, Sarah L. Webb, Elizabeth H. Seventy, Colin A. Deane, Sam Gandy, Thomas W. Mosley, Sudha Seshadri. Long leukocyte telomere length and risk of late-life depression, incident dementia, and ischemic stroke: A Mendelian randomization analysis in the UK Biobank. Neurology, 2022.
[2] Epel ES, Blackburn EH, Lin J, Dhabhar FS. Accelerated telomere shortening in response to stress. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004;101(49):17312-17315.
[3] Miller AV, Wanka A, Mayr G. Short leukocyte telomere length and cardiovascular disease risk. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2014;29(3):250-256.
[4] Kuo CY, Guo WC, Lin CC, Chou SC, Tsai LJ, Wu YL. Association between leukocyte telomere length and cognitive function among Taiwanese elders: a cross-sectional study. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2022;22(4):783-790.
[5] Mosley TW, Seshadri S. Harnessing the power of human genetic variation to understand the biology underlying Alzheimer disease dementia. Science (2021) 372 (6540):131-133.
- Aging brings about various health risks, including stroke, hypertension, and late-life depression, which can have detrimental effects on seniors.
- Researchers have discovered a potential biomarker linked to these age-related diseases, referred to as telomeres, which protect DNA from fraying as cells divide during the body's repair process.
- In a study published in Neurology, short leukocyte telomere length was observed in individuals who developed stroke, dementia, and depression, increasing their risk by around 1.5 times.
- Good lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress management, can counteract the risk posed by short telomeres and reduce the likelihood of neurological disorders.
- The relationship between lifestyle factors and cellular aging processes holds significant implications for the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases like stroke and dementia.
- Adopting healthier habits at any age can have a positive impact on mental and neurological health, as well as overall fitness and wellness.
- Researchers are hopeful that further exploration into telomeres could lead to innovative therapies to combat aging-related conditions, such as Alzheimer's and other neurological disorders.
- Emphasis on wellness in the workplace, promoting healthy diets, fitness and exercise, and mental health resources, can contribute to a healthier and more productive workforce, ultimately benefiting both employees and employers.
