A Bloody Good Cure for Aging?

[Gahars]

Hello, boils and ghouls! Why not celebrate your Halloween with some spooktaculur science news?

You know that old saying, "Blood is thicker than water?" Well, if recent experiments are to be believed, blood also beats water in the "reversing aging" department.

Not only... what's that? I should cut to the chase? Very well then.

Saul Villeda of Stanford University, who led the work, found that blood from young mice reversed some of the effects of ageing in the older mice, improving learning and memory to a level comparable with much younger animals. He said that the technique could one day help people stave off the worst effects of ageing, including conditions such as Alzheimer's.

"Do I think that giving young blood could have an effect on a human? I'm thinking more and more that it might," said Villeda. "I did not, for sure, three years ago."

...Villeda connected the circulatory systems of an old and young mouse so that their blood could mingle. This is a well-established technique used by scientists to study the immune system called heterochronic parabiosis. When he examined the old mouse after several days, he found several clear signs that the ageing process had slowed down.

The number of stem cells in the brain, for example, had increased. More important, he found a 20% increase in connections between brain cells. "One of the main things that changes with ageing are these connections, there are a lot less of them as we get older," said Villeda. "That is thought to underlie memory impairment – if you have less connections, neurons aren't communicating, all of a sudden you have [problems] in learning and memory."

The Goredian

So, it seems that if you want to avoid getting old, you need to stay fresh with the young blood. (Note: This is not Rob Liefeld's Youngblood. That's known to significantly shorten the lifespan). Now, these tests have only been conducted on rodents, so it's too early too know what exactly human tests will entrail.

Still, one can always hope; maybe we can finally develop a treatment for the ravages of time, one that won't bleed patients dry.

(Thanks to Veho for the link!)

 

[GammaGeorgeX]

These pieces of news are always coming up. Something like this looks like one of those well tested theories, so yeah, things like this will probably figure themselves out soon!

 

[chyyran]

I can see this concept in a dystopian novel.

 

[Hyro-Sama]

True Blood with a scientific twist?

 

[The Catboy]

Sounds like the kinda news Elizabeth Báthory would enjoy hearing.

 

[Janthran]

If you're okay with the fact that you're using blood from a child, you don't deserve to live.

 

[Gahars]

If you're okay with the fact that you're using blood from a child, you don't deserve to live.

...Is anyone suggesting that?

 

[Janthran]

...Is anyone suggesting that?

Yes.

 

[Gahars]

Yes.

From the article...

Andrew Randall, a professor in applied neurophysiology at Exeter and Bristol Universities, said that the brain and other organs inevitably deteriorate as part of the ageing process. "Although this [research] may suggest that Bram Stoker had ideas way ahead of his time, temporarily plumbing teenagers' blood supplies into those of their great-grandparents does not seem a particularly feasible future therapy for cognitive decline in ageing. Instead this fascinating work suggests there may be significant benefit in working out what the 'good stuff' is in the high octane young blood, so that we can provide just those key components to the elderly."

 

[BrightNeko]

I miss Gahars old avatar. :< an that is totally on topic since the new one is an old person. (lemon)

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

Didn't Elizabeth Báthory figure this out centuries ago?

 

[Janthran]

From the article...

Why don't you put the IMPORTANT bits in your posts?
You always jump back up with some "THIS WAS IN THE SOURCE" thing every time I point out something controversial. T_T

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

Why don't you put the IMPORTANT bits in your posts?
You always jump back up with some "THIS WAS IN THE SOURCE" thing every time I point out something controversial. T_T

He can't just plagiarize the source by copy/pasting the whole thing. We don't allow that.

 

[Haloman800]

Why don't you put the IMPORTANT bits in your posts?
You always jump back up with some "THIS WAS IN THE SOURCE" thing every time I point out something controversial. T_T

Well it looks like you could also take it from a teen, not just a young child, and I'd hope there would have to be consent on the blood donors side.

I don't think I'd mind giving some blood if I knew it'd help my grandmother, but I can see a lot of grandchildren leaning towards the opposite side.

 

[Gahars]

Why don't you put the IMPORTANT bits in your posts?
You always jump back up with some "THIS WAS IN THE SOURCE" thing every time I point out something controversial. T_T

I provide a general summary of the article as we are supposed to (and throw in some puns for good measure). For people interested in learning more about the subject, and to give credit where credit is due, a link to the original text is provided.

Plus, there's a difference between pointing out controversy and just jumping to wild conclusions.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

Why don't you put the IMPORTANT bits in your posts?
You always jump back up with some "THIS WAS IN THE SOURCE" thing every time I point out something controversial. T_T

You could always read the source article.

 

[nryn99]

So vampires probably do exist.

 

[gamefan5]

Why don't you put the IMPORTANT bits in your posts?
You always jump back up with some "THIS WAS IN THE SOURCE" thing every time I point out something controversial. T_T

Did you bother to read the source before saying your comment?

 

[Janthran]

Did you bother to read the source before saying your comment?

Haha, you're funny

 

[Vampire Lied]

So Elizabeth Bathory WAS on to something.
You always have the best weird science news.