Scientists are investigating how ageing can be better measured and understood using so-called ‘ageing clocks’. These are measurement methods that use data from sources such as blood tests or genetics to estimate how old the body feels biologically. Such a clock system can provide clues about health risks and the effectiveness of new treatments for age-related diseases.
Research shows that the immune system plays an important role in the development of conditions such as hardening of the arteries. Hardening of the arteries is a common cause of cardiovascular disease, in which fatty plaques in the blood vessels obstruct blood flow. The immune system reacts to these plaques, but sometimes those reactions actually cause more damage. The way the immune system functions may soon help to better assess the risk of heart problems.
Additionally, researchers are focusing on tackling ‘senescent’ cells that accumulate in metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. These cells cause inflammation and exacerbate health problems. Work is underway on medicines that can clear away these harmful cells, which could be a new avenue for improving health with ageing.
In the brain, too, ageing immune cells play a role in cognitive decline. By targeting these cells specifically in the future, scientists hope to improve brain function and delay or even reverse degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. Although many treatments are still in the testing phase, these developments offer hope for a healthier and longer life.
These research directions are important because they aim to break through the process that leads to diseases of old age. By better understanding how ageing works and developing targeted treatments, the prospect of a healthy old age is increasingly becoming a reality.
Source: Reason
