Taurine, Coenzyme Q10, and Hydrogen Water Prevents Germanium Dioxide-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Associated Sensorineural Hearing Loss in mouse.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in numerous common diseases as well as aging and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). In the current study, we showed that supplementation with germanium dioxide (GeO2) in CBA/J mice resulted in SNHL due to the degeneration of the stria vascularis and spiral ganglion, which were associated with down-regulation of mitochondrial respiratory chain associated genes and up-regulation in apoptosis associated genes in the cochlea. Supplementation with taurine, coenzyme Q10, or hydrogen-rich water, attenuated the cochlear degeneration and associated SNHL induced by GeO2. These results suggest that daily supplements or consumption of antioxidants, such as taurine, coenzyme Q10, and hydrogen-rich water, may be a promising intervention to slow SNHL associated with mitochondrial dysfunction.

Innovations in Geroscience to enhance mobility in older adults.

Aging is the primary risk factor for functional decline; thus, understanding and preventing disability among older adults has emerged as an important public health challenge of the 21st century. The science of gerontology - or geroscience - has the practical purpose of "adding life to the years." The overall goal of geroscience is to increase healthspan, which refers to extending the portion of the lifespan in which the individual experiences enjoyment, satisfaction, and wellness. An important facet of this goal is preserving mobility, defined as the ability to move independently. Despite this clear purpose, this has proven to be a challenging endeavor as mobility and function in later life are influenced by a complex interaction of factors across multiple domains. Moreover, findings over the past decade have highlighted the complexity of walking and how targeting multiple systems, including the brain and sensory organs, as well as the environment in which a person lives, can have a dramatic effect on an older person's mobility and function. For these reasons, behavioral interventions that incorporate complex walking tasks and other activities of daily living appear to be especially helpful for improving mobility function. Other pharmaceutical interventions, such as oxytocin, and complementary and alternative interventions, such as massage therapy, may enhance physical function both through direct effects on biological mechanisms related to mobility, as well as indirectly through modulation of cognitive and socioemotional processes. Thus, the purpose of the present review is to describe evolving interventional approaches to enhance mobility and maintain healthspan in the growing population of older adults in the United States and countries throughout the world. Such interventions are likely to be greatly assisted by technological advances and the widespread adoption of virtual communications during and after the COVID-19 era.

Mitochondrial oxidative damage and apoptosis in age-related hearing loss.

Age-related hearing loss (AHL) is a universal feature of mammalian aging and is the most common sensory disorder in the elderly population. Experimental evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a central role in the aging process of cochlear cells. Although it is well established that mitochondria are the major source of ROS in the cell, specific molecular mechanisms of aging induced by ROS remain poorly characterized. Here we review the evidence that supports a central role for Bak-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis in AHL. We also propose that this mechanism may be of general relevance to age-related cell death in long-lived post-mitotic cells of multiple tissues, providing an opportunity for a targeted therapeutic intervention in human aging.