Updates in Pathobiology: Causality and Chance in Ageing, Age-Related Diseases and Longevity

The relationship between causality and chance is an open discussion in many disciplines. Often, the boundary among these events is thin to understand if an occurrence is related to one or to both. In particular, ageing, the related diseases, and longevity are difficult to define as consequence of causality, chance or both

Immunity & Ageing: a new journal looking at ageing from an immunological point of view

In the elderly, many alterations of both innate and clonotypic immunity have been described. Alterations to the immune system in the elderly are generally viewed as a deterioration of immunity, leading to the use of the term immunosenescence. However, although many immunological parameters are often notably reduced in the elderly, retained function of both innate and clonotypic immunity in the elderly is tightly correlated to health status. Recognising the important role of the immune system in ageing, over the last few years, journals oriented towards gerontology and geriatric sciences have increasingly published articles dealing with the immunology of ageing, but a specialised journal in this area does not exist. Immunity & Ageing is a new Open Access, peer reviewed journal that aims to cover all the topics dealing with innate and clonotypic immunity which are relevant to ageing. The journal will provide an opportunity to focus on this topic, which is emerging as one of the critical mechanisms of ageing. Furthermore, as an online, Open Access journal, Immunity & Ageing will promote immediate accessibility to research, which is generally not possible for articles published in printed journals. We hope this forum, concentrating on the themes of ageing and immunology with a strong focus on human studies, will create a new perspective for viewing a world that is inevitably becoming older

Is immunotherapy an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease?

Immunotherapy in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is rapidly becoming a hot topic of modern geriatric and clinical gerontology. Current views see immunization with Aβ peptide, the amyloidogenic protein found in senile plaque of AD patient's brains, or the infusion of preformed antibody specific for human Aβ, as possible therapeutic approaches to improve the cognitive status in the disease. Animal models of the disease have provided positive results from both approaches. Thus, an initial clinical trial using immunization with human Aβ in AD patients was started, but then shortly halted because of an unusually high incidence (6%) of meningoencephalitis. A long and currently ongoing debate in the scientific community about the pro or contra of vaccination or passive immunization with Aβ in AD is thereafter started. Here, the authors would like to stress few points of concern regarding these approaches in clinical practice

Special Issue "Centenarians-A Model to Study the Molecular Basis of Lifespan and Healthspan 2.0"

: The global population is experiencing an increase in ageing and life expectancy [...]

Reviewer acknowledgment

CONTRIBUTING REVIEWERS: Immunity & Ageing would like to thank the following for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for the journal in 2012

Le medicine complementari ed alternative (CAM): la posizione della Conferenza permanente dei Presidenti dei Corsi di Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia.

Le notevoli perplessità e resistenze alla introduzione delle CAM come insegnamenti nel Corso di Laurea in Medicina e Chirurgia, da parte della Conferenza Permanente dei Presidenti dei Corsi di Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia, non originano affatto da atteggiamenti conservatori o di pregiudiziale chiusura, ma da considerazioni più consistenti sulla natura stessa della formazione universitaria

Mediterranean Diet as a tool for achieving successful ageing

Targeted interventions to slow or postpone ageing and to favour an active life expectancy represent the new perspectives in ageing investigation. Some mechanisms that delay or prevent the onset of ageing disabilities and pathologies have been identified. In general, maintaining a healthy lifestyle seems to reduce many risk factors. In particular, eating habits represent the most concrete and low-cost method to address ageing. Of all dietary habits analysed, the Mediterranean diet has received much attention since it has consistently proven its beneficial influence on health and longevity. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by low glycaemic index and low animal protein intake, it is rich in nutraceuticals and functional foods thus reducing molecular pathways signalling, as nutrient sensitive pathways which affect the ageing process and lead to unhealthy ageing. This dietary model can be promoted as an “anti-ageing therapy” and can contribute to good health status and therefore to a better quality of life