Healthy Ageing Design Competition 2022

Babraham Institute Healthy Ageing Design Competition

This booklet contains the entries to the Babraham Institute Healthy Ageing Design Competition. It is fantastic to see the range of posters and artwork developed, showing great levels of creativity and research skills. Well done to all involved!”

Peter Rugg-Gunn, Head of Public Engagement

Contents

Age and fertility Sophie, Long Road Sixth Form College

Ageing and its impact on vaccine response Hannah, Long Road Sixth Form College

Cardiovascular diseases in old age Charley, Long Road Sixth Form College

Cryosectioned neurones of a mouse brain Tom, Saffron Walden County High School

Decreasing stress can lead to a healthier life Anonymous Does having a pet affect loneliness in old age? Alexandra

Effect of sleep on healthy ageing Tomos, Long Road Sixth Form College Effects of fasting for healthy ageing Beth

Healthy ageing Chloe

Healthy diet Kudzaishe, Long Road Sixth Form College

How ageing affects our immune system Anonymous

How diet affects our ageing Myrna, Long Road Sixth Form College

Jimmy’s reflection Charlise, Comberton Sixth Form

Lifestyle and diet differences between Japan and the UK Gladys, Long Road Sixth Form College

Neurodegeneration by ageing Thomas, Long Road Sixth Form College

Reading and its effects on dementia Amelie, Long Road Sixth Form College Stress and how it affects lifespan Anonymous

The effect of daily water intake on blood pressure Phoebe, Long Road Sixth Form College

The menopause and cardiovascular disease Isobel, Long Road Sixth Form College

The role of telomeres in ageing Natalie

We can still do what we used to do Elizabeth, Saffron Walden County High School

Age and Fertility

Why its important/growing issue

By Sophie Marsh From Longroad Sixth Form College

Introduction

It is becoming more apparent as research develops that the risk of complications during pregnancy There’s a high volume of potential causes for a decrease in female fertility as a woman ages and matures implications are as follows: ageing egg cells deteriorate in quality; wombs of older mothers are less growth of a placenta leading to the foetus having poor blood supply consequently slowing their defects and lastly the uterus does not respond well to pregnancy hormones delaying placenta form

Studies have suggested that majority of woman are not aware of the risks of aging on fertility and have evaluated a scientific study which has been put in place to assess woman’s knowledge of fertility outcomes affected by fertility.

Why is this an important & growing issue A study on patient awareness

Having knowledge on the potential risks of pregnancy with age is becoming increasingly important. Many women are now having their first child much late in life Throughout Europe more women over the age of 35 are giving birth, in the UK just under 50% of babies are born to mothers aged over 40. In 2012 one in 5 babies was born in Germany to a woman 35 or older These factors may be influenced by women’s growing career, aspirations, relationships, and financial security.

Study results

The participants of the survey ranged in age from 18 to 67 years with the mean age being 30.9 A large proportion of the people 75.8% had previous experience with pregnancy despite only 30% knowing fertility begins to decline at age 35 and 5.3% stated they believe there was no age where fertility declines. It is clear from research that people are unaware of the risks linked to ageing as 48.3% reported they would change their plan if they knew age affected fertility. 54.3% of people preferred receiving fertility information from websites rather than their doctor Both those who has previously been pregnant and those who hadn’t didn’t shown any major difference in fertility knowledge but both groups agreed many factors including smoking, obesity, alcohol use and older age could have an affect on fertility health.

The national library of medicine has completed investigating woman’s knowledge of affected by ageing. They produced an reproductive health survey All patients presenting for obstetric or non oncologic survey contained questions including prior pregnancy and infertility history including age that reduce fertility; risks whether they had a pregnancy plan; and health related fertility information. The blank, yes/no questions taking around

Conclusion References

The birth rate for woman 40 44 three decades by more than 400%

From the survey its evident that there is a lack of knowledge on the potential risks of pregnancy with age People are aware of other factors affecting foetal health like smoking, obesity and diabetes however are unaware of how age affects egg quality and how wombs of older mothers are less able to support the growth of a placenta. 54.3% of people preferred receiving fertility information from websites and 39% from brochures therefore there needs to be more advertisement and awareness of the risks as well as more research so people understand the potential complications of having children later in life.

Anon, (2021). laterinlife https://human having babies

Deatsman, S., Rhoton Vlasak, Fertility: A Study JBRAAssisted 20(3), pp.99 0557.20160024.

Age and fertility

Sophie, Long Road Sixth Form College

AGEING AND ITS IMPACT ON VACCINE RESPONSE

Hannah Anil Long Road Sixth Form College

INTRODUCTION

Ageing is accompanied by increased susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections indicative of a decline in immunity, termed immunosenescence

Immunosenescence also has implications for vaccination programmes and there is clear evidence that the decline in adaptive immunity results in dramatically reduced vaccine responses and vaccine longevity in older adults This poster summarises some of the key changes in the adaptive immune response that change with age and suggests approaches that could be used to try and improve vaccine responses in older adults

ABSTRACT SOLUTIONS

There are a number of strategies that could be tried to improve response to vaccination in older adults These include:

Boosting

In an vivo study of rhesus monkeys it was shown that antibody responses were significantly reduced to primary immunizations in old monkeys, but by administering a second vaccine at 1 month it was possible to boost antibody titers up to the level found in young adults during their primary phase

Time of day of vaccine administration

Data from a recent study involving influenza vaccine administration showed that men, not women, vaccinated in the morning mounted a better peak antibody response to the A/Panama influenza strain These results indicate that hormonal and diurnal rhythms may influence the magnitude of response to some vaccines

Mitigating the effects of stress

Antibody responses depends on the stress of the individual getting the vaccine

Exercise

A study from the Kohut group asked subjects to exercise (three aerobics classes per week) for 12 weeks prior to an influenza vaccination The data showed that the exercise intervention gave a significant benefit in antibody titer suggesting that exercise can improve immune responses and vaccination in the aged

Our immune system consists of an innate and an adaptive immune system Vaccines work by stimulating a response from the immune system to a virus or bacterium When you are infected by a pathogen the first layer of the immune system, the innate immune response (ex macrophages) starts attacking the pathogen at the site of infection As those macrophages break apart the pathogen inside themselves, they present a type of immune cell known as T cells These serve as the “memory” of the immune system T cells cannot see the pathogen by themselves and need certain macrophages, called antigen presenting cells, to show them the pathogen That activates the next layer, the adaptive immune system B cells produce antibodies with the helper T cells But to produce the most effective antibodies, they need this complex interaction with T cells Hence B cells helps to create a immune memory which allows the body to remember a pathogen so that it can protect itself and prevent disease that it causes

Improved adjuvants

The TLR5 ligand flagellin is a potent activator of a broad range of cell types involved in innate and adaptive immunity Flagellin administration can induce prominent local and systemic immune/inflammatory responses The incorporation of flagellin into vaccines has been shown to enhance the immune response in influenza vaccines and cancer immunotherapeutic studies Findings of a recent study on age associated elevation in TLR5 mediated immune responses offer novel opportunities for flagellin related therapeutic uses and vaccines This may offer a potentially powerful strategy to harness the innate immune system to address the increased susceptibility to infections and decreased response to vaccines in the aged population

Ageing and its impact on vaccine response Hannah, Long Road Sixth Form College

Cardiovascular disease in old age

Charley Woollard

What is CVD?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the term used to describe any disease to do with the heart or blood vessels Some common examples of this would be: Coronary heart disease, strokes, heart attacks and atherosclerosis

Around 66,000 people die due to coronary heart disease every year in the UK [1]

CVD causes a huge percentage of deaths each year This shows world wide causes of deaths 2013.

Coronary heat disease occurs when the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle (coronary arteries) become blocked or narrowed, this blockage could be from a blood clot This can lead to a heart attack (myocardial infarction), when heart muscle dies due to a lack of oxygen reaching it caused by a blockage or narrowing Strokes are the sudden death of brain cells due to a lack of oxygen to the brain again by a blocked or burst blood vessel

Risk factors

There are a number of risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing a cardiovascular disease Some are in your control, like diet and the amount of exercise you get but some are uncontrollable For example, inherited genes or age

Risk factors: Family history/ inherited genes Being male Lack of exercise

High blood pressure Diet (carbohydrates/lipids)

Excessive alcohol consumption Smoking Increasing age :

Atherosclerosis naturally occurs with age.

References:

The eat well plate Oils and spreads (lipids) should make up around 1% of your diet

[1] British Heart Foundation. (2022). Factsheet UK. [Online].

Heart statistics. Last Updated: August. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/ /media/files/research/heart statistics/bhf cvd statistics uk factsheet.pdf [Accessed 13 October 2022].

[2] NHS. (2020). Coronary heart disease Treatment. [Online].

NHS. Last Updated: 10 March 2020. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronary heart disease/treatment/ [Accessed 22 October 2022].

[3] Memorial Hermann. (2022). Heart and vascular. [Online].

Heart Disease and Age. Available at: https://memorialhermann.org/services/specialties/heart and vascular/healthy living/education/heart d [Accessed 13 October 2022].

Atherosclerosis

What is Atherosclerosis?

Atherosclerosis is the process of narrowing and hardening of the arteries and occurs naturally with age but can be accelerated by other factors, especially high blood pressure

The process

1. The lining of the artery wall become damaged (endothelium)

2. This causes an inflammatory response white blood cells move to the arterial wall and accumulate cholesterol

3. Calcium salts and fibrous tissues assemble this forms a hard plaque

4. This causes the lumen to narrow and the artery to lose elasticity atherosclerosis

5. This means that a higher blood pressure is needed to efficiently pump blood around the body which could cause further damage positive feedback

Why is this dangerous?

A ruptured plaque or blood clot can block arteries supplying the brain or heart muscle (coronary arteries), which stops blood supply and oxygen reaching affected area and causes the tissue to die This is a heart attack ( myocardial infarction) or stroke for the brain

High blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the biggest risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure puts strain onto the heart and weakens the vessels leading to a number of problems, like atherosclerosis.

Too high salt intake

Treatments in old age

Don’t worry there are treatments available… ➢

Antihypertensives = drugs that reduce blood pressure ➢ Anticoagulants = drugs that prevent blood clots forming (blood clots cause heart attacks and strokes) ➢ Statins = drugs that lower blood cholesterol levels (cholesterol builds up in the arterial walls and contributes to atherosclerosis) ➢

Lifestyle changes = reduce smoking and alcohol consumption, get more regular exercise and reduce amount of food high in cholesterol, saturated fats and carbohydrates ➢ Coronary angioplasty = a surgery that involves inserting a balloon into the narrowed artery and then inflating it to widen out the artery wall and increase blood flow ➢ Coronary artery bypass graft = a surgery where a blood vessel is attached to each end of the blocked artery to allow blood to flow around it (bypass it)

Get more regular exercise: A study conducted in the Netherlands on patients aged 65 70 years showed that even housework or cycling reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and deaths from it [4]

What you can do

Around 82% of deaths from Coronary Heart disease are people who are 65 or older [3]

Atherosclerosis accelerates with age and as you get older your likelihood of developing other cardiovascular diseases increase because your arteries have been exposed to other risk factors (e g , smoking and a high cholesterol diet) for longer periods of time So, its very important to limit other risk factors in your lifestyle to minimize your risk of cardiovascular disease

Anything that causes vasoconstriction like adrenaline

Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption (cause vasoconstriction) How is high blood pressure managed? You can take antihypertensive drugs that lower blood pressure, by causing vasodilation

You should:

Limit salt intake and regulate carbohydrate and fat intake according to the eat well guide

Get regular exercise (reduces cholesterol)

Limit alcohol consumption and cut out smoking (both cause high blood pressure)

This graph shows how the number of patients with coronary heart disease increases with age, from public health Wales.

[Accessed 25 October 2022].

Cardiovascular diseases in old age Charley, Long Road Sixth Form College

This piece is from my time on work experience at UCL Institute for Women’s Health. It is viewed using an optical microscope. I hope you enjoy it!

Cryosectioned neurones of a mouse brain Tom, Saffron Walden County High School

Decreasing

stress can lead to a healthier life Anonymous

Does having a pet affect loneliness in old age?

Social isolation is one of the leading issues affecting the older generation today. Recent studies carried out by the CDC show that social isolation, for those aged 50 or older:

• Significantly increased a person's risk of premature death from all causes, rivalling the risks caused by smoking, obesity, or physical inactivity

• Is associated with a 50% increased risk of dementia

• Higher rates of depression and anxiety

• And for heart failure patients, was associated with nearly 4 times increased risk of death

15% 85%

20% 80% 46% 54%

A nationally representative survey of pet owners and non-pet owners commissioned by HABRI* and Mars Petcare found that 85% of respondents agree interaction with pets can help reduce loneliness

It's clear that social isolation is an issue that needs to be addressed. Older generations tend to find it hard to make new connections, as no interactions are forced without work or school. Furthermore, for those with mobility issues, something like joining a club isn't always a viable option. Even for those without mobility issues, getting up and joining a new community isn't always easy.

Of pet owners, 80% said that their pet makes them feel less lonely, and 54% say their pet helps them connect with others.

*human animal bond research institute

One way to solve this may be with a simple solution - pets!

has pets

does not have pets

A study published in the "Aging and Mental Health" journal showed that those aged 60 and over who owned a pet, were 36% less likely to report loneliness

I put out a survey targeting those aged 50 and over with 3 simple questionsDo you have pets?

Do you think those pets make you feel less lonely? Do your pets improve your mental health?

18%

Interestingly, of those who voted with overwhelmingly positive results, the majority owned 3 or more pets! Maybe, the more pets you own, the happier you are!!

Of those who were over 50, and owned pets, 90% said that their pets reduce loneliness significantly!

9% said they reduce loneliness somewhat, and 1% felt like their pet or pets had little impact

73% said that owning a pet drastically improved their mental health, 21% said their mental health is helped somewhat by owning a pet, and 6% felt like owning a pet had little to no impact on mental health

(luckily, nobody said that their pet made their mental health worse, despite it being an option!)

These results suggest that owning and caring for a pet is a way to promote healthy and happier aging. Consider buying a pet for your elderly loved ones, especially if seeing them isn't as easy after Covid-19!

Does having a pet affect loneliness in old age?

Alexandra Alban!

Effect of Sleep on healthy aging

By Tomos Jenkins

Introduction

Sleep is the body's way of recharging its energy from the day. At night your body stores information collected throughout the day, as well as getting rid of waste from your body. Furthermore, at night your body repairs cells and organs, releases energy and releases hormones(e.g.HGH human growth hormone). Sleep has been connected to many cardiovascular diseases or is a catalyst to some mental health issues (e.g. Depression).

Healthy aging and biological ages are different, the biological age that has passed since your birth does not explain the change and development throughout life. Healthy age is the environmental change that happens in everyday life. That is the reason why your arteries look 80 years old from obesity when you are biologically 20.

Hyperthyroidism and obesity

Hyperthyroidism is the thyroid gland becoming overactive and producing a surplus amount of thyroid hormones or vise versa. Lacking of the hormones can decrease the heart rate which can cause memory problems. On the other hand, a surplus in hormones can increase the heart rate and contribute to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)(2).

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can range from:

Weight gain

Pain stiffness of joints

Elevated blood cholesterol levels

Fatigue

(3)

Obesity can also be a symptom of chronic sleep deprivation, similarly the symptoms are:

Sleeping problems

Pain in the joints

Increased heart rate

Investigation

The first row of the graph shows a 30% decrease in TSH levels when the patient has had 4 hours of sleep. (1) This means that chronic deprivation of sleep can lead to a fall in TSH and possibly lead to hyperthyroidism.

In the last graph there is a lower level of leptin in the 4 hours of sleep. This indicates that the person’s satiety is low and feels full. However, another study with ghrelin shows that there was an increase in ghrelin (hunger hormone) (1). This means that a person will have and increased caloric intake which could lead to obesity. (1)

Healthy Aging

Healthy aging is the managing your health to maximise your life expectancy. Hyperthyroidisms symptoms such as; weight gain, pain/stiffness in the joints and fatigue. These mainly occur in older people. Weight gain accelerates past the age of 50 years old because metabolism slows down, also pain and stiffness in the joint happens ages 50 and above when cartilage thins and lubricating substance decreases and finally elevated blood levels can cause atherosclerosis because the arteries can become damaged.

Obesities symptoms is also mainly seen in elder people such as increased heart rate after damage to the artery walls and sleeping problems can be explained by the decrease in growth hormones as you age. In conclusion, if you have these symptoms and are below the average age that the symptoms usually occur then you are most likely unhealthily aging.

This means that having chronic sleep deprivation can cause many chronic and temporary illnesses which can decrease your lifespan.

Over the past 50 years there is a decrease in sleep from 8-9 hours of sleep to 6-7 hours of sleep. The decrease in sleep could also be linked in the increase of obesity rates; an increase of ghrelin means that people are consuming more calories. Over the past 20 years obesity cases have double and there is a positive correlation between sleep deprivation and body mass index (1).

Taking account both graphs we can suggest that chronic sleep loss has a role in the increase in the obesity epidemic (1).

References

Reference (1)- Eve Van Cauter. (2000). The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Hormones and Metabolism. [Online]. Kristen Knutson. Available at: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/50 2825 [Accessed 25 October 2022].

Reference (2)- Harvard. (March 15, 2022). Thyroid hormone: How it affects your heart [Online]. Harvard. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-hea lth/thyroid-hormone-how-it-affects-your-h eart#:~:text=Hypothyroidism%20can%20aff [Accessed 25 October 2022]

Reference (3) - Mayo Clinic. (2000). Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) [Online]. Mayo Clinic. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-condi tions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/sy c-20350284 [Accessed 25 October 2022].

Effect of sleep on

Tomos, Long Road Sixth Form College

healthy ageing

Introduction

Introduction

EFFECTS OF FASTING FOR HEALTHY AGEING

By Beth Haeger

Example

Throughout history, fasting has long been considered beneficial for both mind and body but only recently has credible research been conducted and the findings are extraordinary...

The benefits of fasting can reduce major risk factors associated with our modern lifestyle and ag eing. Fasting can therefore be considered part of a positive lifestyle choice.

Fasting can offer the following benefits: ✓ Increased longevity ✓ Improved final decade/quality of life ✓ Reduced dependency on medication ✓ Reduced risk of obesity high bp CVD ✓ Reduced inflammation ✓ Improved cognition

Graph showing the effect of fasting on reducing systolic blood pressure of various severities

Case report: 16 year history Chronic Cephalgia

• 44 year old female dentist with Traumatic brain injury 16 years ago leaving her with persistent migraines which do not respond to multiple medications

• 41 day clinically controlled water only fast followed by 6 months of a plant based diet free from sugar, salt and oil.

• 2nd 40 day water only fast

• 6 years of regular follow up checks each presenting a consistent, pain free life.

Case report: follicular lymphoma

• Middle aged female presenting stage IIIc follicular lymphoma

• 21 day clinically controlled water only fast

• Monitored for ten days after fast

• Followed controlled 10 Day plant based diet (no added salt, sugar or oils) post fast

• CT scan revealed complete remission cancer free.

Results (benefits) and references

Fasting benefits

Weight loss

Conclusions

• The majority of “adverse events”, such as high blood pressure, are mild to moderate and directly related to the condition of the patient on arrival/beginning of the fasting.

• The majority of events are known to occur during fasting

• There is a slight correlation between age and adverse effects but not the severity

• Controlled water only fasting is safe, cost effective and an immediate replacement for medication in many cases.

CLINICAL EFFECTS OF FASTING

Fasting protects normal cells chemotherapy

A combination of fasting and chemotherapy results in dramatically higher cancer free survival than chemotherapy alone.

References

www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Alan Goldhamer: How Fasting Can Save Your Life . [online] Available at: https://youtu.be/42QAyVkAS_0 [Accessed 28 Oct. 2022].

Ro. (n.d.). How Can Fasting Help Fight Aging? [online] Available at: https://ro.co/health guide/fasting and aging/ [Accessed 29 Oct. 2022].

The evidence shows that there are benefits to water only fasting that contribute to a longer, healthier life. The evidence Is accumulating that intermittent fasting, whereby eating in a 6 hour period and fasting for 18 hours is linked to a decreased incidence of diseases, including cancer and obesity. This is a treatment accessible to everyone without financial cost and promises a dramatic increase in quality of life.

Scenarios where water only fasting may not be safe

Pregnancy and lactation

Anorexia nervosa

Diabetes type 1

Recent stroke or MRI

Pulmonary embolism or DVT

Cardiac instability, Atrial Fibrillation

Severe kidney disease

Porphyria

Deficiency, Depletion or Cachexia

MCAD

Instability to stabilise off most medications

Effects

of fasting for healthy ageing Beth

Healthy Ageing is the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age Some characteristics of healthy ageing include being free of chronic diseases, autonomy in activities of daily living, good quality of life, only mild cognitive or functional impairment and little to no disability To promote healthy ageing factors such as physical activity, eating healthily, seeing a doctor, avoiding social isolation, sleeping well can be beneficial to the ageing process

Life expectancy has increased over the last century, in the early 1900s life expectancy was 47 for a male and 49 for a female Whereas now it is 78 for a male and 83 for a female this is because of a large increase in healthcare and treatment Health span is the range people are fit and active for, this has increased alongside life expectancy but not as drastically As people age, they can develop mental illnesses such as dementia alongside declining physical health, this wouldn't be included in the health span

Cell specialisation is important for replacing cells and preserving genetic material but the function quality decreases with age Tissues don't regenerate as well with age due to the slowdown of cell division and the lack of stem cell replacement Epigenetics are the study of the mechanisms managing the expression of the gene pool, this could be a potential cause of ageing Each cell has a similar genetic information, but they have different functions which shows differences in gene expression depending on the environment

Healthy Ageing

As we age there are changes to the body's system including the density of bones decreasing, which will lead to weaker bones that are more likely to break Ligaments become less elastic this causes joints to become tighter and stiff which means ligaments and tendons will tear more easily Also, ageing causes changes in the lenses of the eye contributing to loss of near vision and less fluid production Hearing loss can occur especially in high pitched sounds at first

Older people are more susceptible to illnesses such as influenza, cardiovascular disease and cancer This is because the immune system weakens with age this means you'll have fewer immune cells, and they may not communicate as well with each other so response to invading pathogens is slower Although more recently research into the human body has provided treatments and cures, this lays foundations for extending life expectancy by reducing the number of elderly people who die from diseases

Lifestyle changes such as not smoking can benefit as it causes arteries to harden and increases blood pressure Furthermore, the toxins in cigarette smoke can expose your skin to oxidative stress, causing wrinkles and dryness symptoms of premature ageing Excessive stress can also damage cells leading to early ageing as they will be less able to divide Muscle function declines during ageing, however, exercise can help older adults to maintain muscle mass, this shows it may prevent age related muscle decline

Healthy eating Physical exercise Doctors appointments

Ageing is due to a gradual deterioration in the ability of cells to maintain a stable internal environment Cell culture studies are being used to study human ageing as at least partly, ageing has a cellular origin This is useful for trying to replicate age related changes that occur in cells to further our understanding and possibly reverse An organoid is a simplified version of an organ, and they can be used to model human tissues and diseases This provides a perspective into ageing at molecular, cellular and tissue levels

The effects of ageing can't yet be reversed in humans, but the process can be slowed down Mice have been used to study the effects of ageing and research has led to a team regenerating old mice into healthy ones, the focus was telomere shortening They bred mice which lacked an enzyme that stops telomeres getting shorter, the mice prematurely aged Mice were given injections to reactivate the enzyme and it repaired the damaged tissue and reversed the ageing signs, this proves age reversion but only in mice

Healthy eating Physical exercise Doctors appointments

Healthy diet

Kudzaishe, Long Road Sixth Form College

How ageing affects our immune system Anonymous

How diet affects our ageing Myrna, Long Road Sixth Form College

This oil painting is a glimpse into the story of a man called Jimmy. It’s the story of his journey in accepting and being grateful for his old age. In the mirror he sees himself and realises that even though he is not all that he once was, he is still Jimmy and he won’t let his past haunt him. He lets it be a light in his life rather than a shadow - a happy memory

This is a vital cognitive process in healthy ageing because in order to move forwards you have to reflect and let go.

Jimmy’s reflection Charlise, Comberton Sixth Form

Lifestyle

and diet differences between Japan and the UK Gladys, Long Road Sixth Form College

Neurodegeneration by Aging

Thomas Maule

Introduction

Neurodegeneration can be caused by many things such as alcoholism, tumours, a stroke, toxins , or viruses However, I am going to be exploring the effects of aging on Neurodegeneration and how it affects our cognitive function in day to day life

Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease are 2 of the most prominent Neurological diseases in recent history: 1 in 10 individuals aged 65+ have Alzheimer disease Despite this, many Neurological disorders go unheard of such as: Epilepsy, ADD/ADHD, Autism, Dementia, and Cerebral palsy These can’t be taken into account during my investigation, even though many would effect the results On the other hand, the chances of developing some of these increase with age, which corresponds with my investigation

Investigation

Cognitive Decline

Cognitive decline is caused by many factors 3 of which are: genomic instability, mitophagy, and cellular senescence all of these accumulate damage over years leading to older people to suffer problems caused by them

Studies have shown that high blood pressure and lack of physical exercise increases a person’s chance of developing a neurological disease in their later years.

For my investigation I have found a online mental speed test that test a person on simple math,

Results

A Persons Accuracy Percentage can be used to determine whether the person understood the task, understood the questions, and was focused during the task

The data I gathered shows that as a persons age increases there accuracy decreases and there time taken increases This is evidence of a clear decline in cognitive function as we get older

Reading and its effects on dementia Amelie, Long Road Sixth Form College

Stress and how it affects lifespan

I did my own survey on the theory that an increase in stress causes an increase in heart rate I asked a range of people, different sexes and professions but with a similar age, multiple questions about their stress levels due to work and how they balance work and life and then asked them to measure and record their resting heart rate There was an overall conclusion that those with higher stress levels at work and those who spend time outside of work worrying about work had an increased resting heart rate. I have two examples to prove this although my survey included multiple other sets of data A boarding house matron answered a range of questions all suggesting they struggle with a significant amount of stress due to work and do work outside of their hours suggesting a bad work life balance Their heart rate was 70 bpm at resting however there is another example where their heart rate was 59 bpm This person worked as an administrator who didn’t seem to struggle with stress and didn’t work outside of their paid hours meaning they had a good work life balance This shows a direct correlation between stress and heart rate which is proved with the difference in stress and heart rate

Stress releases hormones

When feeling stressed, individuals release a hormone called cortisol which at high levels is harmful for your body When cortisol is released from the adrenal glands, there is an increase in blood glucose levels to provide the body with energy It causes many problems such as an increase in blood cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure Each of these things causes direct harm to the individual's body in many ways, reducing lifespan

Effect of hormones

Cortisol causes the lumen of the artery to narrow which means that the blood has to be pumped harder to get around the body, increasing blood pressure This along with another hormone which is produced called epinephrine forces your heart to pump faster and harder

Increase in risk of a decreased lifespan

Due to stress, there is an increase in blood cholesterol and blood pressure which are both significant risk factors for atherosclerosis This is when an atheroma is formed in an artery and, if in the coronary artery, it can lead to a heart attack As well as this, if it is in other parts of the body it can lead to strokes and other serious issues that can cause harm or even cause death. Therefore, stress and the affect it has on heart rate has a direct link with lifespan, since if you have an increase in stress it puts you at risk for other health problems such as heart disease and strokes Both of these can cause death and therefore decreasing lifespan

Stress and how it affects lifespan Anonymous

The effect of daily water intake on blood pressure

A healthy blood pressure (90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg) is an indication of a healthy individual and therefore healthy aging within a person Abnormal blood pressure could indicate an underlining health issue/illness but also possibly a fault in the individual’s lifestyle which is contributing to their health and quality of life

By conducting a simple, personal study to investigate the effects on water intake on blood pressure, it is interpretable that by maintaining a large daily water intake we can decrease our own blood pressure slightly and strive towards a healthy life, decrease our risk of developing hypertension and healthier aging.

By measuring the blood pressure of 5 family members everyday for 3 days, who each had specific water intakes for those three days, it is possible that there is possibly a cause and effect relationship between blood pressure and daily water intake. Results from the study are presented on the right.

By Phoebe Coote

Systolic blood pressure

The effect of water intake on blood pressure

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

160 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

The day the blood presure was recorded and a mean value for the blood pressure of each participant over the three days (recorded in mmHg)

Participant 1 (daily intake of approximately 250ml of water)

Participant 2 (daily intake of approximately 500ml of water)

Participant 3 (daily intake of approximately 750ml of water)

Participant 4 (daily intake of approximately 1000ml of water)

Participant 5 (daily intake of approximately 1250ml of water)

The effect of daily water intake on blood pressure Phoebe, Long Road Sixth Form College

The Menopause and Cardiovascular Disease

Isobel Elsey

INTRODUCTON TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD)

CVD is an illness associated with the circulatory system, and it can manifest in a variety of forms such as a stroke, myocardial infarction, or deep vein thrombosis. It is often caused by the processes of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. A variety of risk factors contribute to the development of CVD, however one of the primary risk factors is age. This is partially because the processes of atherosclerosis and thrombosis develop over long periods of time

ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND THROMBOSIS

Atherosclerosis is the hardening of the arteries due to the formation of atheromas Firstly, the endothelium of an artery becomes damaged, leading to an inflammatory immune response. White blood cells and LDL cholesterol collect in the area, forming a build up called an atheroma. When calcium salts and fibrous tissue come into contact with the atheroma, they can form a hardened plaque which will decrease the elasticity of the artery wall resulting in increased blood pressure. This plaque can then rupture the artery wall, exposing collagen and triggering the process of thrombosis. Platelets come into contact with the collagen and become activated, forming a platelet plug. The damaged area releases thromboplastin, vitamin K and calcium ions. In the presence of these, prothrombin is converted to thrombin. Thrombin catalysis the conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin which is an insoluble protein. This then forms an insoluble mesh, which catches the red blood cells as they pass through, forming a clot. If this clot occurs in the coronary artery, it can block of the heart muscles’ oxygen supply, resulting in myocardial infarction.

THE MENOPAUSE AND ITS IMPACT ON CVD

Some risk factors are mostly uncontrollable, such as biological sex. Oestrogen (a reproductive hormone which is typically higher in females than males), naturally increases levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. HDL works to remove excess LDL cholesterol from the body cells, and since LDL cholesterol is involved in the process of atherosclerosis, minimising LDL will minimise the risk of CVD. As a result, pre menopausal women are three times less likely to develop CVD than men. However, this poses a problem for biological women when they enter the menopause, as their oesrogen levels will significantly decrease, increasing their risk of CVD. As a result, it is vital that women are able to control and maintain their oestrogen levels as they age.

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

[1] Murkies, A. L., Wilcox, G., & Davis, S. R. (1998). Phytoestrogens. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 83, Issue2

INATURALLY INCREASING OESTROGEN LEVELS

The primary way oestrogen can be naturally obtained is through consumption of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are plant compounds which exhibit biological activity similar to that of oestrogen. They were first reported to exist in 1926 by Allen Doisy, and by 1975 several hundred plants had been discovered to contain phytoestrogens. [1] HOW PHYTOESTROGENS WORK: Once phytoestrogens have been consumed, a series of reactions occur in the gastrointestinal tract. These reactions result in the formation of heterocyclic phenols, which have a similar chemical structure to oestrogen, and can create similar biological effects.

There are three vital types of phytoestrogens (isoflavones, lignans and coumestans) and they are all present in plants and seeds. Isoflavones are primarily present in beans and legumes, whilst lignans are mostly recorded in cereals, fruits and vegetables. Isoflavones are found in: soybeans, lentils, kidney beans, chick peas, soy milk, soy beans. Lignans are found in: wheat, barley, rye, rice, bran, oats, cherries, apples, peas and carrots.

REDUCING THE RISKS

The most significant risk factors of CVD include high blood pressure and high levels of low density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol in the bloodstream.

CONTROLLABLE RISK FACTORS: Smoking can significantly increase blood pressure, since the Carbon Monoxide binds to hemoglobin restricting the oxygenation of cells. As well as this, nicotine can cause the arteries and arterioles to contract.

Stress and excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to an increase in blood pressure, so it is advisable that they should be avoided where possible.

MEDICALLY INCREASING OESTROGEN LEVELS

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves the use of medication to replace the hormones oestrogen and progesterone which decrease in the body over the menopause.

The HRT medication most commonly includes a combination of oestrogen and progesterone, however the option of only oestrogen is available as well.

HRT can be taken through a variety of forms, such as tablets, skin patches, implants, gels, and creams.

SIDE EFFECTS: There can be some side effects of HRT, some of which are very serious. There are reports of headaches, indigestion and vaginal bleeding as well as breast cancer and blood clots. [2]

[2] Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) Alternatives NHS (www.nhs.uk) The menopause and cardiovascular disease

Isobel, Long Road Sixth Form College

THE ROLE OF TELOMERES IN AGEING

NATALIE BATE

Telomeres in

The ends of linear chromosomes, such as those in eukaryotic cells, consist of a combination of a protein (called shelterin) and a specific repeated DNA sequence (TTAGGG in humans).

These DNA protein complexes are called telomeres and have many vital functions:

• Prevent chromosome ends from sticking to each other.

Protect the information contained in the genome. Ensure the whole strand of DNA is always replicated.

• Protect exposed DNA on the chromosome ends from enzyme degradation.

Telomeres play an important role in the process of mitosis that allows the integrity of the cells genetic information to be protected.

• During DNA replication, DNA polymerase cannot fully complete the lagging 5’ strand; this is known as the end replication problem.

This accounts for the fact that after every round of cell division, the telomeres on each chromosome get progressively shorter.

Figure 2 shows a representation of gradual reduction in telomere length after successive cell divisions.

This means the loss of genetic information owing to the incomplete strand is minimised as that reduction occurs in the telomeres.

Therefore, telomere length directly correlates to the age of an organism. When the telomeres get to a certain length further cell division is prevented and apoptosis occurs, effectively limiting the lifespan of that organism.

Telomere length naturally reduces after every cell division in order to ensure all the DNA is replicated. There are however some ways in which the erosion of telomeres can be reversed:

An enzyme called telomerase can synthesise the addition of the repeated DNA sequence found in telomeres to the ends of the chromosomes. This lengthens the telomeres, making cells able to divide for longer. Telomerase action is closely regulated in most human cells.

When the telomeres in a cell reach a critical length, apoptosis is triggered and that ensures that that cell is no longer able to divide and grow. This is one of the mechanisms that defines ageing, the older you get the shorter your telomeres get and the more characteristics of ageing you exhibit. Shortened telomeres are also hypothesised to increase likelihood of developing age related diseases such as high blood pressure.

One way of reducing the impacts of ageing and make the process as healthy as possible would be to preserve telomere length. It has been shown that exercise can help to preserve telomere length by increasing telomerase activity and increasing the expression of telomere stabilising proteins.

• Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a mechanism by which some cancer cells ensure their telomeres remain the same length:

Extrachromosomal DNA with the same sequence as the telomeres DNA joins onto the chromosomes during homologous recombination, allowing the replicated chromosomes to have extended telomeres.

However, not all human cells which are able to keep their telomeres extended are an example of healthy ageing. One of the most notable cell types are cancer cells which use either telomerase or ALT to maintain the length of their telomeres. This is the property which allows cell lines derived from cancer cells, such as HeLa cells, to remain immortal. Turning all cells into cancer cells produces its own problems.

In conclusion, gradually preserving telomere length could be one way to age more healthily but should not be used as a permanent solution as it would result in cancer with cells being unable to die.

The role of telomeres in ageing Natalie

Aysha Divan and Royds, J. (2016). Molecular biology : a very short introduction. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Blackburn, E.H., 1991. Structure and function of telomeres. Nature, 350(6319), pp.569 573.

Cesare, A.J. and Reddel, R.R., 2010. Alternative lengthening of telomeres: models, mechanisms and implications. Nature reviews genetics, 11(5), pp.319 330.

Ohki, R., Tsurimoto, T. and Ishikawa, F., 2001. In vitro reconstitution of the end replication problem. Molecular and cellular biology, 21(17), pp.5753 5766. Shammas, M.A., 2011. Telomeres, lifestyle, cancer, and aging. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 14(1), p.28. Werner C, Fürster T, Widmann T, et al. Physical exercise prevents cellular senescence in circulating leukocytes and in the vessel wall. Circulation. 2009; 120:2438 2447.

This is a piece of art work showing an image of a little boy fishing inside of an older version of the boy. It shows that if we age healthily then we can actually still do all of the things we used to do when we were younger. It also has some images of the heart, brain and DNA to represent scientific discoveries in order to find out how to age healthily.

We can still do what we used to do Elizabeth, Saffron Walden County High School

Thank you to all those involved in judging the Design Competition:

Jake Cross

Stephane Guillaume

Jo Montgomery

Fergus Powell

Peter Rugg-Gunn

Judith Webster

Thank you to Babraham Research Campus for providing the venue for the Babraham Institute Sixth Form Conference, where these design competition entries were displayed.