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Brain aging may accelerate after cancer treatment, study suggests

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Brain aging may accelerate after cancer treatment, study suggests

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Surviving cancer as a child or young adult may have a lasting impact on aging, new research suggests.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center looked at whether life-saving treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, could speed up biological aging.

They also aimed to determine whether this age acceleration was linked to cognitive issues related to memory, focus and learning.

The team analyzed blood samples from a group of 1,400 long-term survivors treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, using epigenetic clocks — tools that estimate biological age by examining chemical tags on DNA.

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Biological age is determined based on damage the cells accumulate over time, versus chronological age, which is measured by how long someone has been alive, according to scientists.

Biological age is determined based on the damage cells accumulate over time, according to scientists. (iStock)

“These well-established aging-related biomarkers have previously been associated with neurocognitive impairment and decline in older non-cancer populations, particularly in cognitive domains related to aging and dementia, such as memory, attention and executive function,” the study stated.

Most of the group consisted of acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors, or Hodgkin lymphoma survivors. Participants were at least five years past their treatment, though some had survived for several decades.

They underwent neurocognitive testing to measure their attention span, memory and information processing speed.

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CREATIVE HOBBIES KEEP THE BRAIN YOUNG, STUDY FINDS — HERE ARE THE BEST ONES TO PURSUE

Chemotherapy was found to have the greatest impact on aging acceleration. The study suggests the treatment can alter DNA structure and cause cellular damage.

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“It’s no surprise to find out that young people with cancer who have chemo early in life are affected in terms of long-term aging,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, told Fox News Digital.

Participants underwent neurocognitive testing to measure their attention span, memory and speed of information processing. (iStock)

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Researchers also found that cellular aging was closely linked to cognitive performance, as survivors of a higher biological age had more difficulty with memory and attention.

“Chemo poisons and damages cellular function — hopefully the cancer cells more than normal cells, but there is a significant impact on normal cells as well,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study.

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“There is also something called ‘chemo brain,’ which causes at least temporary difficulty with memory, concentration, word finding and brain fog,” the doctor added.

The research team hopes to use these findings to focus on intervention efforts, specifically by determining when accelerated aging begins.

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“Young cancer survivors have many more decades of life to live,” lead study author AnnaLynn Williams, PhD, said in a press release. “If these accelerated aging changes are occurring early on and setting them on a different trajectory, the goal is to intervene to not only increase their lifespan, but improve their quality of life.”

The team hopes this research will help in the development of early intervention tools that aim to prevent cognitive decline. (iStock)

There were some limitations to the study. The researchers could not adjust for chronic health conditions or education because they are directly impacted by treatment.

Additionally, the study only looked at the survivors at a single point of time, so it could not directly prove causation.

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The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

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Woman’s double-twin relationship sparks court’s impossible paternity ruling

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Woman’s double-twin relationship sparks court’s impossible paternity ruling

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A panel of judges has ruled that it is impossible to determine which of two identical twins fathered a woman’s baby.

The child (referred to as “P”), who was conceived in 2017, is now 8 years old, according to court documents.

The U.K. woman, who was only identified as “the mother,” reportedly engaged in sexual relations with the identical twins just four days apart.

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She remained in a relationship with one twin, who was named on the birth certificate and initially acted as the legal father, the filing stated. When the relationship ended, it triggered a legal dispute.

The mother and the twin who is not listed on the birth certificate brought the case, seeking to overturn an earlier ruling and have him legally recognized as the child’s father, the document detailed.

The child (referred to as “P”), who was conceived in 2017, is now 8 years old, according to court documents. (Child not pictured) (iStock)

The Court of Appeals ruled that legal paternity rights are only granted to a genetic father. While DNA testing shows a 50/50 chance for each twin to be the father, there is no definitive answer.

“Currently, the truth of P’s paternity is that their father is one or other of these two identical twins, but it is not possible to say which,” stated Lord Justice Moylan in the Court of Appeal ruling.

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Moylan added that the child’s paternity “is binary and not a single man,” highlighting the legal uncertainty created by the case.

Since neither twin can prove he is the biological father, neither can be given legal parental responsibility, the court declared.

The case is significant because it ​​reveals a limit of DNA evidence, which is the foundation of many legal cases.

Monozygotic (identical) twins share virtually identical genetic profiles, including the markers used in standard paternity tests. (iStock)

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“Identical twins share the same genetic DNA code. While, over time, there are subtle changes to patterns around the DNA that would allow matching in some circumstances for adults’ cells, these markers are significantly degraded at the time of fertilization — making it not practical with current technology to assign paternity to identical twin brothers,” Paul Brezina, physician and fertility expert at Fertility Associates of Memphis, an Ivy Fertility Center, told Fox News Digital.

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In addition to medical questions, this situation could have an emotional impact on the parents and child, noted Brezina, who was not involved in the case.

“Support for the patient and the child through counseling and their medical professionals is vital moving forward,” he advised. 

Since neither twin can prove he is the biological father, neither can be given legal parental responsibility, the court declared. (iStock)

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Identical twins have long presented a challenge in DNA testing, previous medical research has shown. 

Monozygotic (identical) twins share virtually identical genetic profiles, including the markers used in standard paternity tests, meaning they “cannot be differentiated using standard DNA testing,” according to a study published in Forensic Science International: Genetics.

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There are more advanced methods, such as whole genome sequencing, that can detect some rare genetic mutations among twins, but researchers say these techniques are complex, expensive and not commonly used in legal cases.

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A study published in PLOS Genetics confirms that distinguishing between identical twins’ DNA requires highly specialized analysis that goes beyond standard forensic testing.

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Your Free Walking Plan To Lose Weight and Burn More Fat After 50

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Your Free Walking Plan To Lose Weight and Burn More Fat After 50


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Should you microdose Ozempic? Experts are split on risks vs benefits

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Should you microdose Ozempic? Experts are split on risks vs benefits

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The rise of GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) has introduced new approaches to both weight loss and overall metabolic health.

Some users have found that microdosing, or taking the drug in small amounts, achieves the best health outcomes, but some experts warn against it.

In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Terry Dubrow, a plastic surgeon and TV personality based in Newport Beach, California, recommended that everyone takes a low daily dose, even if they don’t need to lose weight.

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“I am obsessed with the concept of microdosing,” he said. “I think maybe half the starting dose for diabetes is the way to go — and you probably don’t need it every seven days, it’s probably every 10 days, just to sort of modulate the amount of sugar in the blood.”

Microdosing GLP-1s could be more costly long-term, according to a bariatric surgeon. (iStock)

The approach has gained popularity on social media, as influencers and self-proclaimed “health gurus” have promoted it even for people without diabetes or obesity.

In a recent episode of the Full Send podcast, Bryan Johnson, a venture capitalist and online creator who aims to reverse aging and extend human lifespan, shared that he microdoses Ozempic.

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“There are some side effects. For example, the dose I’m on raises my resting heart rate by two or three beats, which is a big deal for me, but the benefits are great,” he said.

“GLP-1s are the first legit longevity drug,” he went on. “It’s an amazing drug … There’s just nothing that rivals its efficacy.”

“It’s an amazing drug … There’s just nothing that rivals its efficacy,” Bryan Johnson said about Ozempic. (iStock)

Johnson suggested that a future where most people are microdosing GLP-1s is “not too far off.”

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“I am as healthy as a person can be, and I still benefit from GLP-1s,” he said. “It has other metabolic effects, it has good neuroprotective effects.”

Despite these claims, some weight-loss experts find this approach to be not only more costly, but also less effective.

One longevity guru suggested that a future where most people are microdosing a GLP-1s is “not too far off.” (REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo)

Dr. Andre Teixeira, a bariatric surgeon with the Orlando Health Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Institute, told Fox News Digital that microdosing is “truly dependent” on the individual.

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“The concern is there is no true protocol for it,” he said. “We do not do microdosing at our practice.”

While some people may think microdosing is cheaper, the doctor claims it can be “more expensive in the long run.”

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“[That’s] because you’re adjusting the dose and then not getting the full benefits of the medication,” he said. “I see people who get frustrated that they are not achieving the weight-loss goal they were hoping for because they are spreading out their doses.”

“The risk is that you’re not only playing with the potential benefits, but you’re also playing with the side effects, like nausea and vomiting.”

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The expert recommends working closely with a healthcare provider before starting a GLP-1. “I do not encourage microdosing on your own,” he added.

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Fox News Digital reached out to GLP-1 drugmakers Novo Nordisk and Lilly for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.

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