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Our Brain Learns Completely Differently Than Experts Assumed For Nearly A Century

Researchers just overturned a 70-year-old fundamental understanding of how our brains learn – paving the way for faster, more advanced AI applications and a different approach to medical treatments for brain disorders. [This article first appeared on LongevityFacts. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

Researchers just overturned the way scientists thought our brains learn – a view that up until now has been widely accepted for almost 70 years.

This discovery-based upon new experimental evidence – paves the way for more modern artificial intelligence (AI) applications such as machine learning and deep learning algorithms that imitate our brain functions at a much faster speed with advanced features. Moreover, the research may change how doctors view disorders of the brain, such as Alzheimer’s and may alter treatments for other forms of dementia.

New NR Vitamin Promising to Address Aging in Adults

Summary: Nicotinamide riboside (NR), a form of vitamin B, increased levels of NAD report researchers in a new study. [This article first appeared on LongevityFacts and was updated on April 3, 2018. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB) reported that nicotinamide riboside (NR) – a unique form of B vitamin – increased levels of NAD, in a clinical trial of healthy older adults. Senior study author Doug Seals, a professor and researcher in the Department of Integrative Physiology said

“This was the first ever study to give this novel compound to humans over a period of time,” adding “We found that it is well tolerated and appears to activate some of the same key biological pathways that calorie restriction does.”

Calorie restriction improves our age-related diseases — new results of a landmark trial

Cutting calories by 15% may help protect us against age-related diseases, suggests a new report of a landmark calorie restriction trial with adults. [This article first appeared on LongevityFacts. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

The landmark CALERIE study reports that cutting calories by 15 percent slows down an aging metabolism and may help protect against age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other ailments. The researchers published their results on March 22 in the journal Cell Metabolism.

The researchers found that calorie restriction decreased systemic oxidative stress, one of the nine hallmarks of aging linked to age-related diseases.

New Liquid Biopsy Tests Aim to Prevent Cancer Mortality

New liquid biopsy tests could prevent most cancer deaths with an inexpensive blood draw, as firms bring their cancer tests to trials.


New liquid biopsy tests hold promise to prevent most cancer deaths with a simple, inexpensive blood draw. [This article first appeared on LongevityFacts. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

A simple blood test that tells if you have a tumor and where it is in your body is a lot closer to reality and may cost only $500. Johns Hopkins University (JHU) just announced a test earlier this year that detects eight common types of cancer. It may prove inexpensive enough to be prescribed during a routine physical.

The JHU test is not the only early warning test for cancer. In fact, several organizations are developing new low-cost ways of detecting cancer early, creating the closest thing we have to a silver bullet cure against the disease.

Daily Viagra May Reduce Colorectal Cancer Odds

Viagra reduces colorectal cancer odds in mice by 50%, says a new report which adds that a clinical trial should be the next step.


Summary: Viagra reduces colorectal cancer odds in mice by 50%, says a new report which adds that a clinical trial of low-dose Viagra should be the next step.[This article first appeared on LongevityFacts. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

Viagra cut in half the formation of precancerous polyps that form before the onset of colorectal cancer, says cancer researcher Darren D. Browning Ph.D. – a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Director of the Biochemistry and Cancer Biology Graduate Program at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) in Augusta.

“Giving a baby dose of Viagra can reduce the amount of tumors in these animals by half,” Dr. Browning says.

7 Revolutionary Medical Technologies

Glow-in-the-dark tumors for cancer detection, and cryopreservation of organs are among the seven breakthrough technologies researchers announce.


Glow-in-the-dark cancer tumors, cryopreservation of organs and a vaccine patch are among the seven breakthrough medical technologies announced by researchers in a March 2018 release. [This article first appeared on LongevityFacts. Author: Brady Hartman. ]

Glow-in-the-dark cancer tumors, alcohol tattoos, MRI coils, a malaria pill, tracers that light up prostate cancer, cryopreservation of organs and a needle-free vaccine patch are breakthrough medical technologies sponsored by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and showcased in March of 2018.

Methionine Restricted Diets May Slow Down Aging

Researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine believe that the health and longevity benefits seen in animals on sulfur amino acid-restricted diets could also work in humans. The concept of dietary sulfur amino acid restriction has been of interest to researchers for almost 30 years when the first studies showed health benefits in animals placed on methionine-restricted diets.

Amino acids are the building blocks of all proteins in our body, and methionine and cysteine both belong to a subgroup known as the sulfur amino acids. These help the body to create various proteins and are involved in metabolism.

‘A last line of defense’: IBM lab designs molecule to kill drug-resistant superbugs

Hedrick’s close call inspired his research team to design a new molecule, called a polymer, that targets five deadly types of drug-resistant microbes and kills them like ninja assassins. Their research, a collaboration with Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, was reported recently in the journal Nature Communications.

If commercialized, the polymer could boost the fight against “superbugs” that can fend off every antibiotic that doctors throw at them. An estimated 700,000 people worldwide die every year from these untreatable infections.

Is the Preservation of Beauty as we Age Just Vanity?

How many times have you heard someone say that the pursuit of beauty, or of its preservation over time, is a “vain” endeavor? My guess would be probably many. That’s why you need to tread carefully if you plan to present the preservation of looks as an argument in favor of rejuvenation biotechnology—you might be stepping into a minefield.

Quite frankly, I never got what’s so wrong with wanting to maintain youthful beauty over time, and I’d tend to think we’re dealing with a fox-and-grapes situation here.