Influence of environmental enrichment on hippocampal synapses in adolescent offspring of mothers exposed to prenatal stress

Environmental enrichment attenuates hippocampal synaptic injury induced by prenatal stress in offspring. However, the influence of hippocampal synaptic changes and regional differences in prenatal stress remains poorly understood. The present study induced stress in Sprague Dawley rats, which were at gestational age 13-19 days. Following weaning, the offspring were raised in an enriched environment to establish models of stress ＋ enriched environment. Dendritic spine density and synaptophysin expression were detected in hippocampal neurons using Golgi staining and western blot analysis, respectively. Results showed that enriched environment increased dendritic spine density of apical dendrites in CA1 pyramidal cells and basal dendrites of granular cells in the outer layer of the dentate gyrus. In addition, hippocampal synaptophysin expression increased and the effects of prenatal stress on neuronal dendritic spines were reversed in adolescence.

Ethical concerns in aging research:perspectives of global frontline researchers

This study investigated the ethical landscape of aging research amid the increasing global focus on extending the human lifespan and health span.Our global survey of 180 researchers across 38 jurisdictions revealed divergent perceptions of aging,a consensus regarding the feasibility of delaying aging,and multiple perspectives regarding lifespan extension.The present findings underscore a paradigm shift toward inclusive and ethically sound research,emphasizing the need for an approach that strikes a balance between basic and clinical research.In addition,this study highlighted key ethical concerns in aging research,including the effects of misleading advertising,potential inequality in access to aging interventions,and risks pertaining to the extrapolation of research findings from lower-model organisms to humans.The insights presented in this paper call for an integrated approach for overcoming the complex ethical and societal challenges in aging research to ensure responsible and equitable advancements in this burgeoning field.

Biomarkers of aging

Aging biomarkers are a combination of biological parameters to(i)assess age-related changes,(ii)track the physiological aging process,and(iii)predict the transition into a pathological status.Although a broad spectrum of aging biomarkers has been developed,their potential uses and limitations remain poorly characterized.An immediate goal of biomarkers is to help us answer the following three fundamental questions in aging research:How old are we?Why do we get old?And how can we age slower?This review aims to address this need.Here,we summarize our current knowledge of biomarkers developed for cellular,organ,and organismal levels of aging,comprising six pillars:physiological characteristics,medical imaging,histological features,cellular alterations,molecular changes,and secretory factors.To fulfill all these requisites,we propose that aging biomarkers should qualify for being specific,systemic,and clinically relevant.

A framework for the responsible reform of the 14-day rule in human embryo research

Ever since the world's first"test-tube"baby was bom in 1978,the use of human embryos in research has become highly controversial ethically and thus created a significant challenge for jurisdictions,especially in Europe and the United States,to determine the relevant policies(Poplawski and Gilelt,1991).