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Telomeres and telomerase are basic molecular features of cells genetic senescence, that also contributes to various diseases. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of neuroeducational methods on the level of depression and telomere length shortening. The study data summarizes the findings on telomere length of neuroeducational group (20 hours sesions /month) (n=10) and controls (n=10) at baseline and after 6 month post-intervention. HT-Q-FISH (LifeLenght, Spain) was used to measure the median telomere length (TL). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate the patient's tendency to depression. In neuroeducational group individuals, median TL over the 6 months period decreased 100 ± 27 base pares (bp) - from 10480 bp to 10380 bp, whereas subjects in the control group lost 420±80 bp telomeres - from 10920 bp to 10500 bp. The subjects of control group lost telomeres statistically significantly (p=0.02). The median of HADS depression scores of the experimental group was 4 before the study and after the study 1.5. The change of the sum of scores over six months was statistically significant (p<0.05). The median of HADS depression scores of the control group was 3 before the study, and after the study – 4. The change in the sum of scores over six months was not statistically significant (p>0.05) We hypothesize that neuroeducation can impact some biochemical pathways involved coping depression mechanisms and may contribute to an ' 'remain younger"" phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Telomere length is one of the most reliable indicators of biological ageing at the cellular level, and shortening of the telomere is an indicator of oxidative stress. Telomere length is associated with the capacity of the immune system responsible for protection against infectious and non-infectious diseases. Aim of the research: The evaluation of the effect of neuroeducational methods on individuals' biological age, as indicated by telomere shortening, compared to a control group. Material and methods: The study was conducted on 20 relatively healthy subjects aged 23-59 years. The data summarise the findings on the length of telomeres in the neuroeducational and control groups before and after the 6-month intervention. The experimental group had regular (20 h/month) neuroeducational sessions. HT-Q-FISH (LifeLength, Spain) was used to measure the median telomere length (TL). Results: The main finding of this study was that while telomere shortening within 6 months was significant in the control group (median telomere length before the survey was 11.05 kb (min. 9.5 kb; max. 12 kb) and after the study 10.50 kb (min. 9.1 kb; max. 11.4 kb) - p < 0.05), there was no significant change in telomere length in the experimental group - 10.40 kb (min. 9.4 kb; max. 11.6 kb) before the study and 10.45 kb (min. 9 kb; max. 11.5 kb) after the survey - p > 0.05. Conclusions: Slower telomere shortening is positively associated with neuroeducational sessions and may affect some biochemical pathways associated with stress-induced mechanisms, and also may contribute to the "decreased aging" phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histophagous ciliate Tetrahymena rostrata was found as a parasite in the renal organs of the land snails Zonitoides nitidus and Cochlicopa lubrica. A starvation medium induced encystment, meiosis, autogamy, and development of new macronuclei. The cell division rate declined linearly with number of divisions from the last autogamy until senescence. The senescing strains were rejuvenated by further encystment-induced autogamy. It is expected, that these processes contribute to genetic variability among the local, small, and isolated T. rostrata populations. Consistent with this expectation, small divergences in the cox-1 sequences appeared even among these strains, which had been isolated from different specimens of the same host species at the same site. The divergences in this gene between our T. rostrata strains from Z. nitidus and other strains from C. lubrica , Helix aspersa , and Deroceras reticulatum in Spain (Segade et al. 2009, Parasitology 136:771-782), were beyond the limits of intra-species variability within the genus Tetrahymena. However there is the lack of inter-strain differences in the life history and cytology among our, the Spanish, and those T.rostrata strains, that are not available for “barcoding” anymore. Therefore, variability in the life history and morphology within T .rostrata is constrained by natural selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]