Drawing Parallels Between the Harmful Effects of Chemotherapy and Aging on the Brain Aging is an accumulation of forms of cell and tissue damage, and a complex network of downstream consequences of that damage that interact with one another to accelerate further dysfunction. It should not be too surprising to find that other approaches to producing damage in a living individual resemble aging, at least superficially. This is the case in DNA repair deficiency conditions, and, as researchers note here, it is the case in the aggressive use of chemotherapy to treat cancer. While chemotherapy can be lifesaving, it also damages DNA and leads to cognitive issues known as "chemo brain." These effects resemble the memory and learning problems seen in older adults. There are several parallels in these two situations. In both, there is decreased blood flow […]
https://www.fightaging.org/arc....hives/2025/07/drawin

An Approach to Reduce Inflammatory Behavior in Macrophages, Improving Function Atherosclerosis is the name given to the growth of fatty plaques in artery walls. It is universal in later life, and the primary cause of human mortality via heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and so forth. Once a plaque grows past a given size, the mechanisms that caused its creation fade in importance in comparison to very simple feedback loop. The plaque is an inflammatory, damaged environment that attracts macrophage cells from the bloodstream and surrounding tissues. The macrophages attempt to ingest cholesterol and cell debris, passing the cholesterol back into the bloodstream to return to the liver for reuse or excretion, but instead become overwhelmed. The plaque environment and cholesterol excess forces macrophages into an inflammatory and dysfunctional state. The cells eventually die to […]
https://www.fightaging.org/arc....hives/2025/07/an-app

LAG-3 as a Target to Suppress T Cell Overactivation in Autoimmune Conditions As researchers note here, the LAG-3 receptor on T cells acts as a checkpoint to suppress T cell activity. Like other such receptors that reduce T cell activity, it has been explored in the context of checkpoint inhibitor therapies to treat cancer by preventing tumor-induced reductions in immune activity. Interfering in the activity of LAG-3 was not effective enough in the context of cancer for potential treatments to emerge, but LAG-3 becomes more interesting as a target in autoimmune conditions. It remains to be seen as to whether this will lead to useful therapies, but the data presented here is intriguing. T cells exhibit both T-cell receptors (TCRs) and checkpoints. TCRs, although shaped so that bits of invading bacteria or viruses fit into them to […]
https://www.fightaging.org/arc....hives/2025/07/lag-3-

Better Understanding the Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration Transcranial magnetic stimulation has been shown to produce benefits in some studies, but reproduction in this field is challenging. There are many options for equipment, frequency, power, duration of treatment, and so forth, and many of these parameters are (a) likely important in determining whether or not the treatment has any beneficial effect and (b) incompletely specified in publications. Further, the mechanisms by which transcranial magnetic stimulation produces benefits are far from completely understood, making it much harder to calibrate potential therapies than would otherwise be the case. Here find an example of research in this part of the field, in which scientists explore the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on some of the smaller structures in neurons and neural connections. Axonal boutons are specialized […]
https://www.fightaging.org/arc....hives/2025/07/better

Inflammation is High But Does Not Increase with Age in Hunter-Gatherer Populations Modern hunter-gatherer populations such as the Tsimane, Hazda, and others, are increasingly of interest to researchers following publications of recent years indicating that these groups exhibit very little cardiovascular disease in comparison to populations in wealthier parts of the world. One might look at high and sustained levels of physical activity as a primary cause of this difference, although diet may also play a role. It is one of the better examples of the degree to which lifestyle influences the progression of aging, even while it fails to extend life out beyond the usual limits. In today's research materials, the authors focus on differences in inflammation between first world populations and hunter-gatherers. One lesson that we might take away from this is that not all […]
https://www.fightaging.org/arc....hives/2025/07/inflam