“Vampire theraphy” can reverse aging, scientists say

May 6, 2014  13:48

A transfusion of youthful blood can halt or even reverse the ageing process. It may seem the stuff of gothic horror novels, but scientists believe that transfusions of young blood can really reverse the ageing process and even cure Alzheimer’s disease. This has been confirmed by two recent studies.

As British Telegraph reports, scientists have found that young blood actually “recharges” the brain, forms new blood vessels and improves memory and learning.

Scientists at Harvard University discovered that a “youth protein” which circulates in the blood is responsible for keeping the brain and muscles young and strong. The protein, known as GDF11, is present in the bloodstream in large quantities when we are young but peters out as we age. Last year the team discovered that the protein could repair damaged hearts. Scientists believe that the GDF11 protein, or a drug developed from it, can even help deal with Alzheimer’s disease.

These discoveries were actually made in mice, but researchers hope to begin human trials in the next two to three years, in studies which could bring rapid improvements for human longevity and health.

“This should give us all hope for a healthier future,” said Prof Doug Melton, of Harvard's Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology.

Another research by Stanford University has again shown that young blood can reverse the signs of ageing. In the study, the blood of three-month-old mice was repeatedly injected into 18-month-old mice near the end of their natural life span. This "vampire therapy" improved the performance of the elderly mice in memory and learning tasks. Structural, molecular and functional changes were also seen in their brains, the study published in the journal Science found.

If the same were seem in humans, it could lead to new therapies for recharging our aging brains and novel drugs for treating dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease.

“We’ve shown that at least some age-related impairments in brain function are reversible. They’re not final,” said Dr Saul Villeda, of Stanford’s School of Medicine.

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