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Klinaki E, Ogrodnik M. In the land of not-unhappiness: On the state-of-the-art of targeting aging and age-related diseases by biomedical research. Mech Ageing Dev 2024; 219:111929. [PMID: 38561164 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2024.111929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The concept of the Land of Not-Unhappiness refers to the potential achievement of eliminating the pathologies of the aging process. To inform of how close we are to settling in the land, we summarize and review the achievements of research on anti-aging interventions over the last hundred years with a specific focus on strategies that slow down metabolism, compensate for aging-related losses, and target a broad range of age-related diseases. We critically evaluate the existing interventions labeled as "anti-aging," such as calorie restriction, exercise, stem cell administration, and senolytics, to provide a down-to-earth evaluation of their current applicability in counteracting aging. Throughout the text, we have maintained a light tone to make it accessible to non-experts in biogerontology, and provide a broad overview for those considering conducting studies, research, or seeking to understand the scientific basis of anti-aging medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Klinaki
- Ludwig Boltzmann Research Group Senescence and Healing of Wounds, Vienna 1200, Austria; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, The Research Centre in Cooperation with AUVA, Vienna 1200, Austria; Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mikolaj Ogrodnik
- Ludwig Boltzmann Research Group Senescence and Healing of Wounds, Vienna 1200, Austria; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, The Research Centre in Cooperation with AUVA, Vienna 1200, Austria; Austrian Cluster for Tissue Regeneration, Vienna, Austria.
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Gundog M, Kiraz E, Eroglu C. The low cross-sectional muscle index at the third cervical vertebra is a marker for sarcopenia in patients with laryngopharyngeal cancer. J Cancer Res Ther 2024:01363817-990000000-00041. [PMID: 38261441 DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_135_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Muscle loss and sarcopenia play a significant role in head and neck cancer. In this study, the value of C3 cross-sectional skeletal muscle index was investigated to evaluate sarcopenia. METHODS Seventy-four patients were included in this retrospective study. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated using the paracervical muscles at the level of the third cervical vertebra. Survival rates and toxicities were compared. RESULTS The 3-year overall survival rates were 33.3% in patients with low SMI (≤44.79) and 63.9% in patients with high SMI (>44.79) (P < 0.01). The 3-year progression-free survival rates were 25.9% in patients with low SMI and 63.2% in patients with high SMI (P < 0.01). Multivariate analyses found that advanced age (>65) was associated with a 2.9-fold increased risk of death and low SMI was associated with a 3.9-fold increased risk of death. CONCLUSION Low SMI is associated with prolonged treatment time, increased toxicity, and decreased survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mete Gundog
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
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Comfort N, Gade M, Strait M, Merwin SJ, Antoniou D, Parodi C, Marcinczyk L, Jean‐Francois L, Bloomquist TR, Memou A, Rideout HJ, Corti S, Kariya S, Re DB. Longitudinal transcriptomic analysis of mouse sciatic nerve reveals pathways associated with age-related muscle pathology. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2023; 14:1322-1336. [PMID: 36905126 PMCID: PMC10235898 DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.13204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sarcopenia, the age-associated decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength, has long been considered a disease of muscle only, but accumulating evidence suggests that sarcopenia could originate from the neural components controlling muscles. To identify early molecular changes in nerves that may drive sarcopenia initiation, we performed a longitudinal transcriptomic analysis of the sciatic nerve, which governs lower limb muscles, in aging mice. METHODS Sciatic nerve and gastrocnemius muscle were obtained from female C57BL/6JN mice aged 5, 18, 21 and 24 months old (n = 6 per age group). Sciatic nerve RNA was extracted and underwent RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were validated using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Functional enrichment analysis of clusters of genes associated with patterns of gene expression across age groups (adjusted P-value < 0.05, likelihood ratio test [LRT]) was performed. Pathological skeletal muscle aging was confirmed between 21 and 24 months by a combination of molecular and pathological biomarkers. Myofiber denervation was confirmed with qRT-PCR of Chrnd, Chrng, Myog, Runx1 and Gadd45ɑ in gastrocnemius muscle. Changes in muscle mass, cross-sectional myofiber size and percentage of fibres with centralized nuclei were analysed in a separate cohort of mice from the same colony (n = 4-6 per age group). RESULTS We detected 51 significant DEGs in sciatic nerve of 18-month-old mice compared with 5-month-old mice (absolute value of fold change > 2; false discovery rate [FDR] < 0.05). Up-regulated DEGs included Dbp (log2 fold change [LFC] = 2.63, FDR < 0.001) and Lmod2 (LFC = 7.52, FDR = 0.001). Down-regulated DEGs included Cdh6 (LFC = -21.38, FDR < 0.001) and Gbp1 (LFC = -21.78, FDR < 0.001). We validated RNA-seq findings with qRT-PCR of various up- and down-regulated genes including Dbp and Cdh6. Up-regulated genes (FDR < 0.1) were associated with the AMP-activated protein kinase signalling pathway (FDR = 0.02) and circadian rhythm (FDR = 0.02), whereas down-regulated DEGs were associated with biosynthesis and metabolic pathways (FDR < 0.05). We identified seven significant clusters of genes (FDR < 0.05, LRT) with similar expression patterns across groups. Functional enrichment analysis of these clusters revealed biological processes that may be implicated in age-related changes in skeletal muscles and/or sarcopenia initiation including extracellular matrix organization and an immune response (FDR < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Gene expression changes in mouse peripheral nerve were detected prior to disturbances in myofiber innervation and sarcopenia onset. These early molecular changes we report shed a new light on biological processes that may be implicated in sarcopenia initiation and pathogenesis. Future studies are warranted to confirm the disease modifying and/or biomarker potential of the key changes we report here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Comfort
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Meethila Gade
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Madeleine Strait
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Samantha J. Merwin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Daphne Antoniou
- Center for Basic ResearchBiomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Chiara Parodi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Lina Marcinczyk
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Lea Jean‐Francois
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Tessa R. Bloomquist
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Anna Memou
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery, and Translational ResearchBiomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Hardy J. Rideout
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery, and Translational ResearchBiomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Stefania Corti
- Neuroscience Section, Dino Ferrari Centre, Department of Pathophysiology and TransplantationUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Shingo Kariya
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Diane B. Re
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and DiseaseColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
- NIEHS Center for Environmental Health Sciences in Northern ManhattanColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
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Fuertes-Alvarez S, Izeta A. Terminal Schwann Cell Aging: Implications for Age-Associated Neuromuscular Dysfunction. Aging Dis 2021; 12:494-514. [PMID: 33815879 PMCID: PMC7990373 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2020.0708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Action potential is transmitted to muscle fibers through specialized synaptic interfaces called neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). These structures are capped by terminal Schwann cells (tSCs), which play essential roles during formation and maintenance of the NMJ. tSCs are implicated in the correct communication between nerves and muscles, and in reinnervation upon injury. During aging, loss of muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia and dynapenia) are due, at least in part, to the progressive loss of contacts between muscle fibers and nerves. Despite the important role of tSCs in NMJ function, very little is known on their implication in the NMJ-aging process and in age-associated denervation. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the implication of tSCs in the age-associated degeneration of NMJs. We also speculate on the possible mechanisms underlying the observed phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Fuertes-Alvarez
- 1Biodonostia, Tissue Engineering Group, Paseo Dr. Begiristain, s/n, San Sebastian 20014, Spain
| | - Ander Izeta
- 1Biodonostia, Tissue Engineering Group, Paseo Dr. Begiristain, s/n, San Sebastian 20014, Spain.,2Tecnun-University of Navarra, School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Science, Paseo Mikeletegi, 48, San Sebastian 20009, Spain
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Krishnan VS, Shavlakadze T, Grounds MD, Hodgetts SI, Harvey AR. Age-related loss of VGLUT1 excitatory, but not VGAT inhibitory, immunoreactive terminals on motor neurons in spinal cords of old sarcopenic male mice. Biogerontology 2018; 19:385-399. [DOI: 10.1007/s10522-018-9765-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Carson RG. Get a grip: individual variations in grip strength are a marker of brain health. Neurobiol Aging 2018; 71:189-222. [PMID: 30172220 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Demonstrations that grip strength has predictive power in relation to a range of health conditions-even when these are assessed decades later-has motivated claims that hand-grip dynamometry has the potential to serve as a "vital sign" for middle-aged and older adults. Central to this belief has been the assumption that grip strength is a simple measure of physical performance that provides a marker of muscle status in general, and sarcopenia in particular. It is now evident that while differences in grip strength between individuals are influenced by musculoskeletal factors, "lifespan" changes in grip strength within individuals are exquisitely sensitive to integrity of neural systems that mediate the control of coordinated movement. The close and pervasive relationships between age-related declines in maximum grip strength and expressions of cognitive dysfunction can therefore be understood in terms of the convergent functional and structural mediation of cognitive and motor processes by the human brain. In the context of aging, maximum grip strength is a discriminating measure of neurological function and brain health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Carson
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK; School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia.
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Scicchitano BM, Pelosi L, Sica G, Musarò A. The physiopathologic role of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle. Mech Ageing Dev 2017; 170:37-44. [PMID: 28851603 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2017.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Muscle senescence is a complex mechanism that is usually associated with a decrease in mass, strength and velocity of contraction. This state, known as sarcopenia, is a multifactorial process and it may be the consequence of several events, including accumulation of oxidative stress. The role of oxidative stress in the physiopathology of skeletal muscle is quite complex. Transiently increased levels of oxidative stress might reflect a potentially health promoting process, while an uncontrolled accumulation might have pathological implication. The physiopathological role of oxidative stress on skeletal muscle, its involvement in aging-induced sarcopenia, and potential countermeasures will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Maria Scicchitano
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
| | - Laura Pelosi
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Italy
| | - Gigliola Sica
- Institute of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Musarò
- DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Italy; Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy.
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Resistance wheel exercise from mid-life has minimal effect on sciatic nerves from old mice in which sarcopenia was prevented. Biogerontology 2017; 18:769-790. [PMID: 28597407 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-017-9714-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The ability of resistance exercise, initiated from mid-life, to prevent age-related changes in old sciatic nerves, was investigated in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Aging is associated with cellular changes in old sciatic nerves and also loss of skeletal muscle mass and function (sarcopenia). Mature adult mice aged 15 months (M) were subjected to increasing voluntary resistance wheel exercise (RWE) over a period of 8 M until 23 M of age. This prevented sarcopenia in the old 23 M aged male and female mice. Nerves of control sedentary (SED) males at 3, 15 and 23 M of age, showed a decrease in the myelinated axon numbers at 15 and 23 M, a decreased g-ratio and a significantly increased proportion of myelinated nerves containing electron-dense aggregates at 23 M. Myelinated axon and nerve diameter, and axonal area, were increased at 15 M compared with 3 and 23 M. Exercise increased myelinated nerve profiles containing aggregates at 23 M. S100 protein, detected with immunoblotting was increased in sciatic nerves of 23 M old SED females, but not males, compared with 15 M, with no effect of exercise. Other neuronal proteins showed no significant alterations with age, gender or exercise. Overall the RWE had no cellular impact on the aging nerves, apart from an increased number of old nerves containing aggregates. Thus the relationship between cellular changes in aging nerves, and their sustained capacity for stimulation of old skeletal muscles to help maintain healthy muscle mass in response to exercise remains unclear.
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Krishnan VS, White Z, McMahon CD, Hodgetts SI, Fitzgerald M, Shavlakadze T, Harvey AR, Grounds MD. A Neurogenic Perspective of Sarcopenia: Time Course Study of Sciatic Nerves From Aging Mice. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2016; 75:464-78. [DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlw019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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Osteoporosis: From osteoscience to neuroscience and beyond. Mech Ageing Dev 2015; 145:26-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 02/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Alway SE, Myers MJ, Mohamed JS. Regulation of satellite cell function in sarcopenia. Front Aging Neurosci 2014; 6:246. [PMID: 25295003 PMCID: PMC4170136 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms contributing to sarcopenia include reduced satellite cell (myogenic stem cell) function that is impacted by the environment (niche) of these cells. Satellite cell function is affected by oxidative stress, which is elevated in aged muscles, and this along with changes in largely unknown systemic factors, likely contribute to the manner in which satellite cells respond to stressors such as exercise, disuse, or rehabilitation in sarcopenic muscles. Nutritional intervention provides one therapeutic strategy to improve the satellite cell niche and systemic factors, with the goal of improving satellite cell function in aging muscles. Although many elderly persons consume various nutraceuticals with the hope of improving health, most of these compounds have not been thoroughly tested, and the impacts that they might have on sarcopenia and satellite cell function are not clear. This review discusses data pertaining to the satellite cell responses and function in aging skeletal muscle, and the impact that three compounds: resveratrol, green tea catechins, and β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate have on regulating satellite cell function and therefore contributing to reducing sarcopenia or improving muscle mass after disuse in aging. The data suggest that these nutraceutical compounds improve satellite cell function during rehabilitative loading in animal models of aging after disuse (i.e., muscle regeneration). While these compounds have not been rigorously tested in humans, the data from animal models of aging provide a strong basis for conducting additional focused work to determine if these or other nutraceuticals can offset the muscle losses, or improve regeneration in sarcopenic muscles of older humans via improving satellite cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen E. Alway
- Laboratory of Muscle Biology and Sarcopenia, Department of Exercise Physiology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
- West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Center for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Matthew J. Myers
- Laboratory of Muscle Biology and Sarcopenia, Department of Exercise Physiology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Junaith S. Mohamed
- Laboratory of Muscle Biology and Sarcopenia, Department of Exercise Physiology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
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Birbrair A, Zhang T, Wang ZM, Messi ML, Mintz A, Delbono O. Pericytes: multitasking cells in the regeneration of injured, diseased, and aged skeletal muscle. Front Aging Neurosci 2014; 6:245. [PMID: 25278877 PMCID: PMC4166895 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pericytes are perivascular cells that envelop and make intimate connections with adjacent capillary endothelial cells. Recent studies show that they may have a profound impact in skeletal muscle regeneration, innervation, vessel formation, fibrosis, fat accumulation, and ectopic bone formation throughout life. In this review, we summarize and evaluate recent advances in our understanding of pericytes' influence on adult skeletal muscle pathophysiology. We also discuss how further elucidating their biology may offer new approaches to the treatment of conditions characterized by muscle wasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Birbrair
- Department of Internal Medicine-Gerontology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA ; Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Tan Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine-Gerontology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Zhong-Min Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine-Gerontology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Maria L Messi
- Department of Internal Medicine-Gerontology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Akiva Mintz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Osvaldo Delbono
- Department of Internal Medicine-Gerontology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA ; Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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