Cognitive Super-agers-Part 1—The Epigenetic Bridge

The Alzheimer’s Solution Revolution Podcast

Greetings everyone!

This is your host, Ralph Sanchez.

Today I am finally delivering on a preview note from my last episode in which I promised to provide an overview on what it takes to become a cognitive super-ager and truly live younger, longer.

Thus, I am very much looking forward to bringing you this review here today with regard to longevity and healthspan, and what more specifically underlies the capacity for anyone to attain a cognitive super-ager’s health and wellness lifespan (healthspan) if you think ahead.

The science of getting older (gerontology), and the biology of aging has spurred an immense interest and research effort that centers on the biochemical, molecular, and indeed the related senescent cellular changes that underlie age-related diseases.

And, the term "super-agers" has emerged as a handy expression to reference long-lived individuals that seem to weather the damaging brain aging processes associated with cognitive impairment. and retain a superior cognitive performance in later life.

According to study recently (2023) published in The Lancet Longevity Journal, super-agers are "people in their 80s who have the memory function of people 30 years younger".

So what is their secret?

Well, as all of you most likely know by now, numerous studies have asserted that the fundamental and healthy diet and lifestyle habits that nourish an optimal healthspan are requisite elements for life extension wellness and our brain health span.

Indeed, diet and lifestyle habits—that includes social enrichment—are often cited as keystone longevity pillars of long-lived centenarians of "Blue Zones"—5 or more specific regions around the world in which people achieve exceptional healthspans.

There is also a wealth of research that links a host of longevity genes to a longer lifespan and recent research indicates that genetic factors that influence longevity are particularly important the older you get (oldest old).

And, a number of studies have also determined that cognitively healthy centenarians are protected against Alzheimer's disease by a host of protective genes and their associated variants (genetic variants).

While the nature-nurture axis has some recognizable and potentially very modifiable pieces to the longevity puzzle, the science behind it all keeps revealing the secrets that not only allows for some fascinating insights, it also provides us all with a wellspring of knowledge which enables us, to some extent, to control our destiny.

One very important link that bridges the environment (nurture) to our innate potential (nature) is the emerging science of epigenetics—or the epigenetic modifications that are critical mechanisms in the dynamism of what I define as the “epigenetic bridge”.

Indeed, epigenetic mechanisms are a critical epigenetic bridge in upstream and core hallmarks of aging—dysregulation of epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., methylation, acetylation), accelerated telomere shortening and attrition, and genomic instability.

And those 3 hallmarks of aging all reflect the interrelated genomic and epigenomic determinants that are a critical component of accelerated aging processes.

However, there are 9 other hallmarks of aging that also must be taken into account when evaluating health assessments over the course of a healthspan.

Please listen in to this Cognitive Super-agers episode for the rest of story with regard to the hallmarks of brain aging, and how you can leverage that vital information for living younger, longer.

Fair warning … this review is lengthy and filled with the science backed research on epigenetic mechanisms and the Hallmarks of Aging.

Sincerely,
Ralph Sanchez, MTCM, CNS, D.Hom
https://www.TheAlzheimersSolution.com

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