Watches and aging in older people

This article is part of the 2018 NMJ Oncology Special Issue. Download the full edition.

reference

pagliai g, Sofi f, dinu m, et al. Clock gene polymorphisms and aging quality in a cohort of ninety-year-olds-the Mugello study. Scientific Rep . 2019; 9 (1): 1472.

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prospective observation cohort of an ongoing epidemiological study

objective

Associations between the genotypes of the clock gene and the quality of aging

participant

All participants (n = 356; 237 women, 99 men) were between 86 and 106 years old and lived in or near the Mugello region in Tuscany, Italy. Everyone took part in the Mugello study, a ongoing epidemiological study that examines many parameters of aging in order to measure relationships with the quality of life.

Study results measurements

All participants underwent a genotyping for 3 polymorphisms of the clock gene (RS1801260, RS11932595, RS4580704). The data was collected by home/nursing home visits, in which blood is taken and objective parameters (ie blood pressure, weight, waist scope, size) were evaluated and the BMI was calculated. The objective measurements of the cognitive function included the mini-mental status test and the clock drawing test. Basic activities of everyday life were also assessed. The laboratory measurements included a cholesterol panel and sober glucose.

questionnaires were used to evaluate sleep, mood and nutrition. Sleep was followed by a questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and a Sensewear Arm Band calorimeter was used to objectively evaluate the sleep pattern (worn for 1 week of the study). A short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to recognize a possible depression. The Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) was used to measure compliance with the Mediterranean diet.

important knowledge

In this older population there was a connection between clock gene polymorphisms and weight, glycemia, low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, there were significant associations of individual polymorphisms (and various haplotypes) with cognitive decay, depressed condition and nutritional quality.

The authors postulate that all measured parameters - cholesterol levels, weight gain, cognitive function and eating habits - are partially regulated by the circadian rhythm. They put the hypothesis that polymorphisms in the Clock-gene could at least partially be responsible for differences in the quality of life and in the state of health of ninety-year-olds.

practice implications

This is the first study that examines polymorphisms in the clock gene in terms of the quality of aging in an older population. So far, variations in the gene expression of the watch have been found due to shift work, sleep deprivation, light at night, aging itself and genetic variations of clock gene with obesity, type 2 diabetes, mood disorders, cardiovascular diseases, psychiatric disorders.

The term "clock genes" is used to describe "genes that are involved in maintaining the internal coordination of several oscillators within and between different organ systems in order to increase the physical fitness of an organism and the most efficient reaction to periodic environmental events such as Z The day/night cycle." Before, among other things in bacteria, fungi, plants, insects and mammals.

Disruptions of the normal circadian rhythm, which are often occurred in this population, can be associated with conditions that are connected with specific underlying polymorphisms of the clock gene.

watchgengen are the central actors in a complex system of endogenous time measurement, which, although they are torn through the surrounding area, act regardless of the light in order to oscillate body functions within a 24-hour biorhythm. The scene in the current study that is checked is the clock gene that stands for the Circadian Locomotor Output Cycle Kaput-gene, and it was one of the first watches discovered. It encodes for the corresponding clock protein, which is part of a transcription factor complex, which controls two other clocks types-periodic genes (per1, per2, per3) and the cryptochrome gene (Cry1, Cry2). As an upstream controller, the Clock gene/protein has a greater influence on the circadian regulation than its downstream products, the transcription of which is essentially under its control.

The current study to be checked showed that differences in weight, cholesterol, mood, cognition and quality of life were associated with polymorphisms in the Clock-gene over 90 years. It is known that aging often leads to changes in the circadian rhythm, typically at an earlier time of day to fall asleep, stronger sleep disorders and a shortened sleep time, which are all influenced by clock genes. Pagliai and colleagues confirmed that there is a genetic variation in the circadian rhythm that is under the control of the clock gene and that this is associated with various ages. For example, they confirmed that the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) RS1801260 is associated with better sleep patterns and a lower risk of overweight. (This was specially associated with the haplotypes AAG and GGC.) The fact that better sleep correlates with better weight control is in accordance with evidence that combines poor sleep and weight gain. ⁹

The relationship between watch genes and blood sugar is an area of ​​ongoing studies, whereby the 24-hour take-up of watch gene expression is increasingly valued not only by light/dark cycles, but also by nutritional/fasting cycles. Participate in glucose regulation by regulating a background of rhythmic insulin secretion. ^{11 In this study, the GGC haplotype for all 3 polymorphisms was associated with a lower hyperglycaemicism, while other SNPs in RS1801260 and RS11932595 with higher soberglukose bruises in connection stood. The authors postulated that "the effects of the clock gene on the glucose metabolism in the peripheral organs could be a mechanism that is involved in the development of hyperglycemia". This confirms the proof of the participation of watches in the underlying pathophysiology in type 2 diabetes.}

They also confirmed that polymorphisms in clock genes and especially in clock gene are associated with dyslipidemia. This is not surprising. The inherent rhythm of circulating lipids has been known for some time, and recently there are indications that it is under the control of watch genes. ¹⁴ In accordance with this, this study showed that higher triglycerides and LDL cholesterol were associated with an SNP in RS4580704 Triglycerides and higher overall cholesterol. Ultimately, variations in watches can at least partially be responsible for the obvious family disposition of cholesterol. Finally, there were associations between clock gene polymorphisms and cognitive function as well as depressive condition. The authors suggest that in the case of depression and cognitive functions, it is not only about regulating the circadian rhythm through the clock gene, but also about the participation of watch genes in the Hypothalamus hypophysen-nonsense reaction. RS1801260 were poorer values ​​on the geriatric depression scale. However, the same cohort had better results in watching watches, which indicates better hand-eye skills and abstract thinking. The authors suggest that a better clock trial and a tendency towards depressive conditions in people with this variation of the clock gene could be attributed to increased cellular sensitivity to endogenous glucocorticoids from acute stressors.

In this study, the quality of aging, measured by various objective and subjective parameters, was associated with variations of the clock gene in an older population. This implies that watches not only regulate the 24-hour rhythm, but also involved in peripheral cell reactions to changes this rhythm.

Regardless of the underlying SNPS or Haplotypes of watches in our patients, the continuous work to clarify how this genes keep us synchronously with a planetary 24-hour biohythm should all remind us of looking back when assessing a person's health. Regardless of why a certain patient is examined, it will be difficult if it is not impossible to fully correct the underlying pathophysiology without normalizing its circadian rhythm, which is always anchored by a correct sleep cycle.