By lowering the expression of a single gene, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have extended the average lifespan of a group of mice by about 20 percent — the equivalent of raising the average human lifespan by 16 years, from 79 to 95. The research team targeted a gene called mTOR, which is involved in metabolism and energy balance, and may be connected with the increased lifespan associated with caloric restriction.

Men and women who take drugs to keep high blood pressure in check may be somewhat protected against Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, a new study found. And those who took a type of blood pressure drug called a beta blocker may be particularly protected from dementia.

The report, presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 65th annual meeting, found that treatment for high blood pressure was good for the brain, regardless of the type of blood pressure medication taken. But people who took beta blockers had the fewest brain changes typical of incipient Alzheimer’s disease.
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Those taking beta blockers had the fewest brain abnormalities typical of Alzheimer’s disease. They also had fewer microinfarcts, a condition that arises when blood does not get to certain areas of the brain, causing multiple tiny strokes.

Study participants who had taken beta blockers, alone or in combination with another blood pressure medication, also had significantly less shrinkage in their brains. Shrinkage of the brain occurs in Alzheimer’s disease and progresses as the disease gets worse.

THURSDAY, Sept. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Eating a Mediterranean diet may be good for your brain and might reduce the risk of dementia, a new review suggests.

A Mediterranean diet includes higher amounts of olive oil, vegetables, fruit and fish. Higher adherence to the diet involves more consumption of fruit and vegetables and fish, and less consumption of meat and dairy products.

Researchers analyzed data from 11 observational studies and one randomized controlled trial. Nine studies found that people with higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet had better brain function, lower rates of mental decline and a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease.

However, close adherence to a Mediterranean diet had an inconsistent effect on mild cognitive impairment, according to the article in the current issue of the journal Epidemiology.

In this study, the researchers used a scanning technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) which measures the structure of white matter, the nerve cell wires, or axons, which connect brain cells in different parts of the brain. They found a consistent difference in white matter between the subjects who recovered and the subjects who experienced pain throughout the year.

“Our results suggest that the structure of a person’s brain may predispose one to chronic pain,” said Dr. Apkarian.

In agreement with this idea, the researchers also found that the white matter of subjects who had persistent pain looked similar to a third group of subjects known to suffer from chronic pain. In contrast, the white matter of the subjects who recovered looked similar to that of healthy control subjects.

To test this idea further, the researchers asked whether the white matter differences they saw during the initial brain scans predicted whether the subjects would recover or continue to experience pain. They found white matter brain scans predicted at least 80 percent of the outcomes.

“We were surprised how robust the results were and amazed at how well the brain scans predicted persistence of low back pain,” said Dr. Apkarian. “Prediction is the name of the game for treating chronic pain.”

The nucleus accumbens and the medial prefrontal cortex are two brain regions thought to be involved with pain. Further examination of the brain scans suggests that the white matter structure connecting these brains regions is different between the subjects who recovered and those who had persistent pain.

“Our results support the notion that certain brain networks are involved with chronic pain,” said Dr. Apkarian. “Understanding these networks will help us diagnose chronic pain better and develop more precise treatments.”