Chill, inside and out

A research group in California has recently shown that decreasing the core body temperature in mice can increase the animal’s lifespan. Until now, the only proven way of extending an animal’s life is to restrict the number of calories it eats. In this study, mice were genetically altered to over-produce a molecule in the brain that controls body temperature. As a result, the neurons themselves became 0.3 to 0.5 degrees warmer than normal despite no change in the temperature in the body or the environment. Like a thermostat, the neurons assumed that the body was too hot, and so caused a decrease in the core body temperature by around 0.5 degrees. This modest decrease in body temperature caused an increase in the mice’s lifespan by up to 20 per cent. The reason may be that the body burns less fuel when at a slightly lower temperature, producing fewer free radicals. Free radicals cause cell damage and have been implicated in the aging process. This discovery may lead to the development of a drug to reduce a person’s core body temperature, allowing them to live longer without cutting back on calories.

Source: Science

-Abigale Miller

Moves that soothe

Got a baby that won’t stop crying? Try a massage! A recent review looked at nine studies of the effects of massage on infants under six months. The studies showed a range of results, including better sleep, less crying, and lower levels of stress hormones. One of the studies also suggested that massage builds better relationships between babies and mothers with postpartum depression, though more research is needed to confirm this. Although the parents in the studies received special training by health professionals as to how to massage their babies, any parent wishing to apply this technique should be able to learn to do so at local postnatal care classes.

Source: The University of Warwick

-Mayce Al-Sukhni

Smile sickness away

Being happy does translate into better health! A new study supports the results of a landmark 2004 paper that found that people who are happy, lively, calm or exhibit other positive emotions are less likely to become ill when exposed to the virus for the common cold, or rhinovirus, than people who do not show these emotions. Further, when the happier people did develop a cold, they reported fewer symptoms than expected. This greater resistance to infectious illness in people who report to be happier was found to be true regardless of the person’s levels of optimism, self-esteem, age, race, gender, education, body mass, or pre-study immunity to the virus.

Source: Psychosomatic Medicine

-M.A.