A fact that we believed we know about aging is perhaps wrong: inflammation does not necessarily increase inexorably with the passage of age.
One of the hiring deemed universal on aging could do not apply to everyone as we thoughtbut concern only industrialized populations. For a long time we have believed that a certain chronic level of inflammation, often asymptomatic but persistent, was inexorably linked to the passage of age – and the onset of chronic diseases.
Instead, this bond could be typical of western societies and depend on environmental factors and lifestyle. In indigenous populations, inflammation may not increase in relation to age.
Blood compared
In a research published on Nature Aginga group of scientists from the aging research center of the University of Sherbrooke, in Québec (Canada) compared the levels of protein linked to the inflammation of almost 3,000 people in Italy (in the Chianti region), Singapore, Bolivia and Malaysia, taken and analyzed for previous studies. The participants of Bolivia and Malaysia they belonged to non -industrialized communities (that of Tsimanein the Amazon, and that of the Orang Asliin peninsular Malaysia).
Scientists measured how the levels of eight types of molecules issued by immune cells involved in inflammation processes, the cytokinechanged with age in each of the four groups. In addition, they tried to understand if high concentrations of certain types of cytokines were associated with health problems related to aging.
Different types of inflammation
As predictable, for the participants of Italy and Singapore, inflammatory proteins have increased with the passage of age and were linked to the onset of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and kidney problems. On the contrary, in the two indigenous communities the cytokines were high at all agesand did not increase with aging. Their presence seemed to be a response to viral or bacterial infections, or to parasitosis.
Therefore, the signs of inflammation may not be for everyone, or not be everywhere, a possible sign of chronic diseases: if so far we have considered it, it is why Most of the scientific studies have been and are carried out in industrialized society. Inflammation could play a different role according to the context and the environment in which it is detected.
The discussion remains open
The conclusions of the study will be validated on different types of populations because there are many possible confusion factors. For example, if it is true that non -industrialized populations are less subject to chronic diseases, at the same time they live less for a long timeand perhaps not enough to develop inflammatory markers related to aging observed in western societies.
In addition, the study seems to suggest that certain pollutants or toxins widespread in industrialized contexts, together with the typical lifestyle of western societies, can adversely affect the ability to regulate inflammation and chronicize it, increasing the risk of diseases.
