“Junk DNA” and Aging
Razi Berry The human body is essentially made up of trillions of living cells. It ages as its cells age, which happens when those cells eventually stop replicating and dividing. Scientists have long known that genes influence how cells age and how long humans live, but how that works exactly remains unclear. Findings from a […]
RNA Can be Written into DNA
Razi Berry Cells contain machinery that duplicates DNA into a new set that goes into a newly formed cell. That same class of machines, called polymerases, also build RNA messages, which are like notes copied from the central DNA repository of recipes, so they can be read more efficiently into proteins. But polymerases were thought […]
A Bad Heart = A Bad Brain
Razi Berry Heart problems cause disturbed gene activity in the brain’s memory center, from which cognitive deficits arise. Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) and the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) come to this conclusion based on laboratory studies. They consider that they have found […]
More to Alzheimer’s Than Genetics
Razi Berry The color of our eyes or the straightness of our hair is linked to our DNA, but the development of Alzheimer’s disease isn’t exclusively linked to genetics, suggest recently published findings from Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. First study published about Alzheimer’s disease among identical triplets In the first study published about Alzheimer’s […]
Dysbiosis May Be a Risk Factor for Colorectal Cancer
Razi Berry The gastroenterology team at Henri-Mondor AP-HP Hospital and University Paris-Est Créteil, led by Professor Iradj Sobhani, together with teams from Inserm and the Institut Pasteur Molecular Microbial Pathogenesis Unit (U1202), led by Professor Philippe Sansonetti – holder of the Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Chair at the Collège de France -, have demonstrated that […]
New Blood Test for Determining Genetic Disorders During Pregnancy
Razi Berry Tel Aviv University researchers have developed a new blood test for genetic disorders that may allow parents to learn about the health of their baby as early as 11 weeks into pregnancy. Simple blood test lets doctors diagnose genetic disorders in fetuses early in pregnancy The simple blood test lets doctors diagnose genetic […]
DNA Changes from Heavy Drinking May Increase Cravings for Alcohol
Razi Berry From Rutgers University Binge and heavy drinking may trigger a long-lasting genetic change, resulting in an even greater craving for alcohol, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. Heavy drinkers may be altering their DNA to crave even more alcohol “We found that people who drink heavily […]
Sleep Deprivation May Damage our DNA
Razi Berry A recent study accentuates the importance of a good night’s sleep, and the role of sleep deprivation in the development of chronic disease. The study linked sleep deprivation to DNA damage.1 Sleep deprivation linked to DNA damage The authors comment that though the research is preliminary, it is very clear that even a […]
Is More Sexual Intimacy the Secret Ingredient for Staying Young?
Razi Berry Regular sexual intimacy increases telomere length There’s nothing like the feeling of sharing moments of intimacy with someone you feel close, vulnerable and safe with. Someone you can really connect with. While sex as a purely physical act has its health benefits, when coupled with emotional intimacy and trust, there are further benefits […]