Research
The World Health Organization defines healthy ageing as nurturing physical, mental and social well‑being so we can continue to live meaningfully as we age. While diet, exercise and mental health are vital, there is an often-overlooked piece of the puzzle: genetic testing. At Jeen, genetic counselling is at the centre of everything. It helps people [...]
A new £1m research programme will aim to improve end-of-life care for people with dementia, one of the most under-served areas in UK healthcare. Although dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK, people living with the condition often receive poorer end-of-life care compared to those with other terminal illnesses. Alzheimer’s Society and [...]
Older musicians show brain activity similar to young adults when processing speech in noisy settings, new research suggests. Long-term musical training may reduce age-related decline in speech perception by strengthening cognitive reserve – the brain’s ability to maintain function despite changes due to ageing. This reserve may reduce the need for older adults to recruit [...]
Immune cells in the brain called microglia appear to control blood flow through capillaries, offering potential new treatment targets for Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders. Researchers have shown that these immune cells, long known for their role in brain defence, also influence how capillaries supply oxygen and nutrients to brain tissue. The discovery could inform [...]
Psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, has been shown to increase mouse lifespan by 30 per cent and extend the lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50 per cent in new research. The study is the first long-term investigation into psilocybin’s systemic effects on ageing. It comes as the anti-ageing [...]
A widely used medication for back pain may increase the risk of developing dementia by up to 40 per cent among patients who take it regularly. Gabapentin, also sold as Neurontin, is prescribed to nearly 800,000 people in England and was linked to cognitive decline in new research based on 20 years of patient data. [...]
A new ultrasound-based approach could help doctors detect peripheral artery disease earlier, potentially avoiding amputations in people with poor blood flow to the legs and feet. The method may improve how peripheral artery disease (PAD) is diagnosed – a condition that affects up to a quarter of adults and restricts circulation in the lower limbs. [...]
Researchers have identified two biological factors – chromosomes and menopause – that may help explain why women are around twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The findings could contribute to more targeted strategies for preventing and treating Alzheimer’s in women, who account for nearly two-thirds of those affected in the US. One [...]
A new artificial intelligence model has outperformed existing methods in detecting cardiac amyloidosis, a progressive heart condition that is often missed in its early stages. The tool analyses routine ultrasound images of the heart and was found to identify the disease with 85 per cent accuracy, while ruling it out with 93 per cent accuracy. [...]
Matching exercise types to personality traits may help people stick with physical activity long term, offering potential benefits for healthy ageing. New research suggests extroverts tend to prefer high-intensity workouts, while people prone to anxiety are more comfortable with short bursts of activity – findings that could inform more personalised fitness programmes. The study highlights [...]
