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Flashcards in lifestyle, aging and disease Deck (12)
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1
Q

How does genetic variation influence how we age

A
  • genetic variation in ‘longevity’ genes may influence lifespan
  • single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are most frequent source of polymorphic changes
  • EX: higher IL-6 related to lower lifespan, polymorphism in promoter region of IL-6 increases its expression
2
Q

How is mitochondrial damage related to aging?

A
  • mitochondria contains genes
  • accumulating mutations in mitochondrial DNA accelerates aging, errors in replication become more frequent with againg
  • damage to mitochondrial genome occurs 10x more frequent than nuclear genome (due to generation of reactive oxygen species)
3
Q

What are reactive oxygen species?

A
  • superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical

- if they get out mitochondria can damage DNA, proteins

4
Q

How are mouse models used for testing mitochondrial mutations?

A
  • mutation to DNA polymerase
  • replicates DNA as cells divide but also corrects errors
  • shows accelerated signs of againg if it cannot correct errors
  • drops in brain wave, heart inlargement
5
Q

Can exercise reduce effects of aging?

A
  • used mutated mouse model

- when exercised prevents damage from reactive oxygen species,

6
Q

How is caloric restriction related to aging?

A
  • restriction of 20-40% restriction
  • severe food restriction extended healthy lifespan of rats
  • also seen in other snimals but no conclusive evidence in humans
7
Q

How may the insulin signalling pathway be relevant to aging

A
  • pathway to phosphorylate receptor, turn on receptor substrate, causing glut 4 to move to mem….
  • conserved over wide range of species (other species have pretty much same pathway)
  • want to be sensitive to insulin (not chronically stimulating the pathway)
  • pathway effects FOXO1 (activated by CR and resveratrol at high dosage)
  • promotes expression on longevity genes and puts break on pro aging genes
  • caloric restriction activates FOXO1
8
Q

How is aging and disease related?

A
  • inc life expectancy has caused increase in age related disease
9
Q

How is exercise related to disease

A
  • risk of death in breast cancer is 3 times higher in love vs high fitness groups
  • inverse correlation between physical fitness and risk of colon cancer
  • aerobic exercise improves cognitive function in older adults and aids in memory (can slightly increase brain volume in elderly)
10
Q

Type 2 diabetes

A
  • studied diabetes prone subjects over 4 years
  • recommended 150min per week of moderate exercise, encouraged to follow food pyramid, goal to lose 8% of initial body weight
  • those who changed their lifestyle vs metformin vs placebo, showed lower incidence of diabetes if changed lifestyle
11
Q

What can resveratrol do?

A

mimic effects of caloric restricaiton in worms, yeast and flies

12
Q

Does insulin signalling pathway lead to activation of longevity genes

A

INSULIN SIGNALLING DOES NOT ACTIVATE LONGEVITY GENES