Social support, from childhood warmth to adult community involvement, may slow biological aging, setting back the “epigenetic clocks” ⏳ and making you younger than your years, according to DNA studies 🧬.

Read Full Article

#SocialSupport #BiologicalAging #Epigenetics #CommunityEngagement #HealthyAging

Epigenetic switch to turn memories on and off created: 🧬 Researchers used CRISPR tools to control the Arc gene in memory-storing engram cells in the brain. 🧠 Turning Arc off weakened or erased memory in mice 🐭, while turning it on enhanced recall—and both effects could be undone. 🔄

Read Full Article

#Epigenetics #MemoryResearch #CRISPR #Neurology #BrainScience

Autism-related traits are associated with faster autonomic processing, as measured through pupillary light reflex (PLR) dynamics in infancy 🌱👶, and are also linked to epigenome-wide DNA methylation patterns 🧬.

Read Full Article

#AutismResearch #PupillaryLightReflex #Epigenetics #Neuroscience #DevelopmentalPsychology

Autism spectrum disorder and early-life stress converge on systemic hyperexcitability and stress epigenetics. NR3C1, FKBP5, and GAD1, the GABA synthesis gene, are epigenetically set toward a heightened excitatory state marked by increased arousal, sensitivity, and excitation–inhibition imbalance. 🧩🧠✨

Read Full Article

#AutismAwareness #EarlyLifeStress #Epigenetics #Neurodevelopment #MentalHealthResearch

Childhood adversity linked to accelerated biological aging in women 🧬⏳👩.

Read Full Article

#ChildhoodAdversity #Epigenetics #BiologicalAging #WomensHealth #HealthDisparities

Ingested 🧫 micro and nanoplastics 🧬 may promote neurodegeneration 🧠 by disrupting the microbiota–gut–brain axis 🧬 and increasing systemic inflammation 🔥, oxidative stress ⚡, and epigenetic dysregulation 🧬, a review 📚 suggests

Read Full Article

#microplastics #gutbrainaxis #neurodegeneration #inflammation #epigenetics

A paradigm shift beyond the Central Dogma in genetic determinism. Epigenetic regulation shapes neurodevelopmental spectrum disorders across generations

Read Full Article

#Epigenetics #Neurodevelopment #IntergenerationalEpigenetics #BeyondTheCentralDogma #NeurodevelopmentalDisorders

Toxic exposure creates disease risk over 20 generations: A single exposure to a toxic fungicide during pregnancy can increase the risk of disease for 20 subsequent generations — with inherited health problems worsening many generations after exposure, finds a new study in rats.

Read Full Article

#toxicity #epigenetics #healthrisk #pregnancyhealth #geneticinheritance

A daily multivitamin slows the ticking of epigenetic clocks

Read Full Article

#Epigenetics #Longevity #DailyMultivitamin

🧠 Researchers at the University of Barcelona (UBneuro) have developed FLAV-27, an experimental drug for Alzheimer's that targets gene expression changes, not just amyloid plaques.

🔬 FLAV-27 inhibits the G9a enzyme, correcting epigenetic alterations linked to Alzheimer's progression and showing functional cognitive recovery in animal models, including improved memory and social behavior.

🩸 A significant finding is the identification of blood biomarkers (H3K9me2, SMOC1, p-tau181) that correlate with disease severity and normalize with FLAV-27 treatment, aiding patient selection and monitoring.

🚀 The UBneuro spin-off, Flavii Therapeutics (founded in 2025), will lead the preclinical and clinical development of FLAV-27, aiming for human trials after further regulatory studies.

#AlzheimersResearch #Epigenetics #Neuroscience

Plant-based dietary patterns are associated with slower epigenetic aging

Read Full Article

#Epigenetics #PlantBasedDiet #HealthyAging

✅ Plant-Based Diets Linked to Slower Biological Aging
New research published in Aging (Vol. 18, pp. 138-158) indicates a strong association between plant-based dietary patterns and a slower rate of epigenetic aging. Analyzing data from the ARIC Study (N=2,810) and NHANES (N=2,056), researchers found that higher adherence to overall plant-based diets, provegetarian diets, and healthy plant-based diets correlated with decelerated biological aging markers like GrimAge2 and PhenoAge.

✅ Healthy Plant Foods Slow Aging, Unhealthy Ones Don't
The study found that an increase of one standard deviation in the intake of healthy plant foods was associated with a reduction in GrimAge2 and PhenoAge. Conversely, unhealthy plant-based diets showed no significant association with changes in epigenetic aging.

✅ Epigenetic Aging Mediates Diet's Impact on Mortality
Further analysis revealed that GrimAge2 acted as a mediator in the relationship between plant-based diets and all-cause mortality, suggesting that DNA methylation plays a key role in how diet influences lifespan.

#PlantBasedDiet #Epigenetics #HealthyAging

🧠 Scientists have uncovered how skin cells "remember" past injuries and inflammation, a discovery made in mice and published on Thursday in Science. This "memory" is passed down through generations of skin cells via inherited patterns of gene expression and epigenetic marks on DNA.

🔬 This skin cell memory can be beneficial, allowing for faster healing of previous wounds. However, in conditions like psoriasis, this memory can lead to recurring flare-ups by making skin overly sensitive to triggers like stress.

🤖 Researchers utilized AI to identify specific genetic sequences in mice that contribute to this long-term skin stem cell memory, analyzing DNA behavior before and after injury.

💡 While this research was conducted on mice, the conserved biology suggests potential applicability to humans. Future human studies are anticipated, though they may be more complex due to differing cell regeneration and disease timescales.

#SkinScience #Epigenetics #MedicalResearch

Epigenetics at Birth Links Microbiome to Neurodevelopment, Potentially Autism and ADHD - An infant’s gut microbiome and specific epigenetic changes were associated with signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when the children were 3 years old.

Read Full Article

#Epigenetics #Microbiome #ASD ADHD

🔬 New Study Links Gut Microbiome & Epigenetics to Early Neurodevelopment
Researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong found that epigenetic changes at birth can shape an infant's gut microbiome development in the first year. They also identified specific epigenetic markers and gut microbes associated with early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by age three.

🧬 Early Life Factors Impact Brain & Gut Connection
The study, involving 571 infants' DNA methylation patterns and gut microbiome data from 969 infants, showed that C-section delivery was linked to different DNA methylation patterns in immune and brain development genes. This, researchers suggest, may provide a mechanism for the increased risks of certain disorders linked to C-sections.

🦠 "Good" Bacteria May Mitigate Neurodevelopmental Risks
Excitingly, the research indicates that certain gut bacteria could offer protection. Infants with epigenetic patterns linked to ASD or ADHD showed reduced susceptibility if they acquired specific microbes, like Lachnospira pectinoschiza and Parabacteroides distasonis, suggesting a potential for future dietary or probiotic interventions.

#Neuroscience #GutHealth #Epigenetics

Epigenetic fingerprints link early-onset colon and rectal cancer to pesticide exposure.

Read Full Article

#Epigenetics #ColorectalCancer #EnvironmentalHealth

A new study published today in iScience suggests that stress experienced by a father before conception may influence an offspring’s growth by altering small molecular signals in sperm.

Read Full Article

#PaternalStress #Epigenetics #SpermDNASignals

Researchers have shown that bacteria can learn from past experiences, store memories across generations and adapt their behavior to changing environments all without a brain or nervous system.

Read Full Article

#BacterialMemory #Epigenetics #MicrobiologyNews

A recent rat study found that when mothers consumed morphine infused water in adolescence, it had effects on their offspring. Specifically, the offspring were more likely to exhibit anxiety-like behaviors and have specific epigenetic expressions related to poor neuronal plasticity.

Read Full Article

#Neuroscience #Epigenetics #MentalHealthResearch

🌱 Vegan Diet's Impact: A one-month vegan diet study found it shifted DNA methylation patterns linked to inflammation, cell growth, and metabolism.

🔬 Immune System Shift: Participants on the vegan diet showed immune changes suggesting a less inflammatory state.

⏳ Biological Aging Decelerated: Two health-outcome prediction clocks indicated a slowdown in biological aging over the study period.

#VeganDiet #Epigenetics #HealthNews