Beth Newcomb

Career Ahead Online references the USC Leonard Davis School’s Master of Science in Applied Technology and Aging (MSATA) program as a model preparing professionals for evolving roles at the intersection of aging, senior care, and technology.

Discover Wild Science mentioned that Caleb Finch coined the term “negligible senescence” to describe animals, including giant tortoises, that experience neither increased mortality rates nor decreased reproduction rates as they get older.

Medscape discusses new concerns around polypharmacy in midlife and the risks posed by taking five or more medications. USC Leonard Davis School faculty member Michelle Keller is quoted as recommending that physicians regularly review patients’ full medication lists—including over-the-counter supplements—to identify prescriptions that may no longer be necessary.

Country & Townhouse discusses “The Longevity Diet,” the nutrition plan developed by Valter Longo of the USC Leonard Davis School, explaining its foundations in plant-based eating, periodic fasting, and lifestyle practices shown to support healthspan and reduce disease risk.

MedCentral quoted Mireille Jacobson regarding a study that found that men with dementia experience higher mortality rates and increased healthcare utilization compared to women. “While the results are very intriguing, I think more analysis is needed to assess whether these results are attributable to differences in unobserved factors, such as disease severity, or inadequately controlled factors, such as comorbid conditions, between men and women, or whether there is truly a sex difference in mortality after a dementia diagnosis,” she said.

AARP quoted Postdoctoral Scholar Andy Jeesu Kim and included his research with Professor Mara Mather in an article on habits for brain health. “We found that [meditation] actually does … improve your attention. … You’re more focused. The speed of how your brain processes things goes a little faster.”

McKnight’s Long-Term Care News reports on research from the USC Leonard Davis School showing that Americans with less formal education are aging biologically faster than their peers with higher education—and that this gap has nearly doubled over the past 30 years. University Professor Eileen Crimmins was senior author of the study and explains that education continues to shape opportunities and health trajectories across the lifespan.

Upworthy highlights research involving USC Leonard Davis School faculty member Andrei Irimia, who coauthored a study showing that the Tsimané and Mosetén peoples—with extremely low dementia rates—may benefit from subsistence-lifestyle patterns including high physical activity, minimal processed food, and a balanced diet. “This ideal set of conditions for disease prevention prompts us to consider whether our industrialized lifestyles increase our risk of disease,” Irimia said.

Washington Post examines a hot-mic moment between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin about the possibility of living to 150, and revisits the symbolic aging bet between scientists Steven Austad and S. Jay Olshansky.

USC Leonard Davis School Dean Pinchas Cohen is quoted, noting that while average life expectancy has climbed thanks to advances in public health and medicine, “the maximum life expectancy has not risen” and that there’s “no evidence anyone is going to exceed 120.”