Beth Newcomb

New York Post featured a study coauthored by Andrei Irimia on how the Tsimané community, who live a pre-industrial lifestyle in the Bolivian Amazon, have the “healthiest hearts on the planet” and brains that age far more slowly than their Western counterparts. This may be due in part to an extremely active lifestyle as well as a high-fiber diet full of vegetables, fish and lean meats, the researchers noted.  “This ideal set of conditions for disease prevention prompts us to consider whether our industrialized lifestyles increase our risk of disease,” Irimia said.

New York Times quoted Bérénice Benayoun of USC Leonard Davis School in a story discussing how women outlive men by a significant margin, with a life expectancy of around 80 years compared to 75 years for men in the U.S. “There’s decent data showing that, at least before menopause, the female immune system tends to be better, more on it and better able to mount responses. … [males] tend to do much worse in response to infection.”

BBC Science Focus covered a study by Andrei Irimia, which developed a method using MRI scans and artificial intelligence (AI) to track how quickly the brain ages, a critical step in predicting and potentially preventing conditions like dementia.

Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News featured a study led by Andrei Irimia on a new AI model that can measure the pace of brain aging. “Rates of brain aging are correlated significantly with changes in cognitive function,” Irimia noted. “So, if you have a high rate of brain aging, you’re more likely to have a high rate of degradation in cognitive function, including memory, executive speed, executive function, and processing speed. It’s not only an anatomic measure; the changes we see in the anatomy are associated with changes we see in the cognition of these individuals.”

Medical Xpress, Sacramento Bee, San Luis Obispo Tribune and others quoted Francesca Falzarano in a story about the “sandwich generation”, a growing demographic of adults who are balancing the responsibility of raising their children while also caring for aging parents. “It’s very easy to feel like you are an island, all by yourself. But there is support out there,” she said. “Find a network and connect with other people in similar situations. When you share your experience with others, it can be a game changer.”

HuffPost quoted Valter Longo in a story where he recommends that dinner should be scheduled at least three hours before bedtime to prevent sleep disruptions and promote efficient energy use.

Your Morning on Spectrum News 1 interviewed Donna Benton for a story on National Caregivers Day and the need to support those who are caring for others. “Once you become isolated or lonely, many caregivers are struggling with feelings of sadness, sometimes all the way to significant clinical depression.”

Population Reference Bureau quoted Eileen Crimmins in an article about a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which concludes that progress on many women’s health measures has stalled or reversed. “Women may be living longer but not healthier lives than men,” Crimmins said.