Scientists investigating risk factors for dementia seem to have debunked the axiom, ‘age is just a number.’
Researchers from China found a person’s biological age is a significant influence on whether someone will develop Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia even if their chronological age is lower.
A person’s age can be measured in two ways: chronological age – the number of years you’ve been alive – and biological age – the age of your cells and tissues.
And the older cells are, the more wear and tear they’ve experienced. Older or damaged cells put people at higher risk of cognitive decline and chronic diseases such as cancer.
While you can’t control your chronological age, eating a Mediterranean diet, being physically active, reducing stress, and eating well can help maintain a lower biological age or turn the clock back further.
Analyzing around 14 years’ worth of health data from more than 280,000 people in the UK, average age of 57 the researchers found those who developed dementia were biologically older (55 vs. 45) at baseline, according to blood and organ function biomarkers.
People with the most advanced biological age were about 30 percent more likely to develop dementia than those in the lowest group
While the researchers relied on advanced algorithms to calculate people’s biological ages, DailyMail.com has revealed a 24-question quiz that will reveal how old your body really is – despite how many years you’ve been alive.
Scientists say that simple tweaks to diet, exercise, and sleep can help reduce a person’s biological age, or how old their body’s cells and tissues are
Experts say a good result is a biological age that is slightly younger than the chronological age, or the number of years someone has been alive.
Longevity experts at NOVOS based in New York City, have made an AI-powered tool that estimates one’s biological age without using blood test results.
The test is free, involves no needles, and is based on results from 47,000 Americans and Europeans.
People taking the test first answer questions on their ethnicity, gender, education level, and income.
The test also asks users for their arm circumference, which can point to muscle mass and fat distribution. If this is not known, users are told they can input the US average of 13 inches.
There is also a question on blood pressure where participants used data from the American Heart Association to estimate their blood pressure in cases where they do not know their own.
A healthy range is 120/80 mmHg, while an unhealthy range is 120 to 129 mmHg and less than 80 mmHg.
They are asked about lifestyle, including weight gain in recent years, their alcohol consumption, and if they get out of breath walking up stairs.
The tool then analyzes the data to reveal a biological age, which is sent to users via email.
The online calculator is just an estimate as it takes extensive testing to determine a person’s biological age.
In the study by Chinese researchers, the team determined people’s biological ages by measuring lung function, blood pressure, and cholesterol, as well as other blood biomarkers, including average cell volume and white blood cell count.
The average chronological age at the study’s start was about 57 while the average biological age was around 45.
When dividing the participants into four groups based on biological age, researchers found those with the most advanced biological age were about 30 percent more likely to develop dementia than those in the lowest group.
People with a higher biological age tended to be older, male, current or former smokers, and carriers of the APOE 4 gene, which is linked to a higher likelihood of Alzheimer’s.
Brain scans reveal how accelerated biological aging shrinks critical brain structures, specifically gray matter volume (GMV). Faster aging (measured by KDM-BA and PhenoAge) correlates with reduced gray matter volume in memory and cognitive regions (A-D)
The researchers employed two different algorithms to calculate individuals’ biological ages.
One, called KDM-BA, uses a machine-learning model that compares nine health measurements in a person – such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and lung function – to population averages.
If biomarkers are worse than expected for their chronological age, they receive an older biological age.
The other algorithm, PhenoAge, estimates biological age using 10 measurements – including inflammation and metabolic markers such as glucose – combined with chronological age in a mortality-predicting formula.
Higher biological age scores calculated by both were tied to smaller volume in the vast majority of people’s brain regions, especially in the hippocampus, where memories are processed and stored.
Individuals with a higher biological age as determined by the KDM-BA algorithm, exhibited a thinner cortex, or the brain’s outer layer, in 40 brain regions, particularly those involved in memory and decision-making.
Individuals with a higher biological age as determined by the PhenoAge algorithm, exhibit cortex thinning across 45 brain areas, with the most significant shrinkage occurring in regions responsible for sensory processing and emotion regulation.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, found 36 to 40 regions of the brain that showed thinning were also associated with an increased risk of dementia.
Bryan’s biohacking and restrictive diet have transformed his appearance, shown in 2018 (left) and 2023 (right)
This cortical thinning accounted for approximately eight percent of the heightened risk associated with accelerated biological aging, indicating it plays a significant – but not exclusive – role in cognitive decline.
While thinning brain tissue contributes to dementia risk, other aging-related factors (like vascular damage or protein buildup) likely drive the majority of the danger.
While the people who later developed dementia had an average chronological age of 65 at the start of the study, compared to 57 for those who stayed free of dementia, their average biological age was 55 by one of the methods, compared to 45 for those with no dementia.
Dr Yacong Bo, a researcher at Zhengzhou University in China, said: ‘These brain structure changes explain some, but not all, of the association between advanced biological age and dementia.
‘These results support the hypothesis that advanced biological age may contribute to the development of dementia by causing a widespread change in brain structures.’
However, in good news for those seeking to turn back the hands of time, reducing stress can lower your biological age by just a few days.
Scientists also argue that simple tweaks to diet, exercise, and sleep can help reduce a person’s biological age.
And biohacking in the quest for longevity has surged in popularity in recent years, with followers trying to reduce their biological age to live longer and avoid illnesses such as heart disease.
Famous biohacker Bryan Johnson, 47, claims the biological age of his lungs is 18. He also claims to have the heart of a 37-year-old, the skin of a 28-year-old, the gum inflammation of a 17-year-old, and the nighttime erection rate of a teenager.
Dr Bo said: ‘With the rising impact of dementia around the world, identifying risk factors and implementing preventive measures is essential.
‘While none of us can change our chronological age, we can influence our biological age through lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise.’
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .