Americans are living longer than ever – and that’s something to be thankful for. As Time points out, our oldest population is getting older as well.
A story from the Agence France-Press wire service documents the strides being taken toward greater understanding of the aging process. The AFP highlighted a new technique out of France by which “cells from elderly donors can be rejuvenated as stem cells, erasing the ravages of age and showing that aging is reversible.”
FDA Under Fire
Last month, the FDA published a long awaited report on biomedical innovation, their only course of defense in the recent onslaught against the agency. Historically, the FDA has played a significant role in the protection of our health, assuming sole responsibility for the approval of medical products, but it appears that congressional confidence in the agency is waning.
Is Alzheimer’s disease contagious?
Is Alzheimer’s disease contagious? Dozens of headlines ran earlier this month suggesting Alzheimer’s patients potential to infect others, but before quarantining forgetful friends and family, I advise further reading.
Alzheimer’s is the only top 10 killer disease in the U.S. that cannot be prevented, cured or even treated effectively over time. One big barrier: there are not enough volunteers for experimental drug trials for Alzheimer’s disease.
And Naked Came the Mole Rat
Here at the Alliance for Aging Research we are huge fans of the African naked mole rat. Now, why would anyone love a 4-inch squinty-eyed hairless wrinkled rodent with buck teeth?
Scientists at the New York Stem Cell Foundation Laboratory have done what scientists do best: they have narrowed the question. By creating cells capable of growing into any cell type in the human body, research is moving us beyond fear mongering over cloning technologies to study these cells as potential weapons against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and other medical maladies.
Below you will find the link to one of the best articles on Alzheimer's I’ve seen to date. It is written by Don C. Reed, a stem cell activist in California, on the promise of current research, and on embryonic stem cells; bringing attention to a subject that is often forgotten and underfunded.
