A new study has discovered a mutant gene that could possibly be the key to living a very long and healthy life. Scientists from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the U.S who conducted the study say, finding a clear link between living to be a 100 and inheriting a hyperactive version of an enzyme that repairs and prevents cells from ageing, could lead to producing anti-aging drugs that stimulate the enzyme.

Effectively, the body organs of centenarians are constantly being repaired, as opposed to normal people whose cellular control centres wear out in time.

The researchers studied a group of Ashkenazi Jews found and found those who lived the longest, had also inherited a mutant version of the enzyme telomerase that rebuilds telomeres or the caps at the ends of chromosomes, stopping them from unravelling.

A chromosome is a piece of coiled DNA containing genes, with each of our cells comprising of 23-pairs of chromosomes i.e. a total of 46 per cell, holding around 25,000-genes. Holding information on how to build and maintain their cells, genes also pass on genetic traits to the next generation.

On their part, telomeres are relatively short sections of specialized DNA sitting at the end of each of our chromosomes, and can be compared to the plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces that prevent them from unravelling. Every time a cell divides, its telomeres shortens and the cell becomes more susceptible to dying. Telomerase repairs the telomeres and prevents them from shrinking.

The research team writing about their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said, the Ashkenazi Jewish community was studied, because all of them were closely related, making it easier to identify disease-causing genetic differences.

A healthy group of 86-people average age 97-years, including 175 of their offspring; and a control group of 93-offspring of normal lifespan parents was studied.

The centenarians and their offspring were found to have the mutant gene that maintains the length of their telomeres, as cells divided over time, sparing most of them from age-related diseases like cardiovacular disease and diabetes. They also had higher levels of telomerase that protects the DNA.

However, there is a downside to the plan of boosting the repair processes of DNA, since giving the cells more opportunities to divide could increase the chance of damaged mutations developing and causing cancer.
FDA Approves Capsaicin 8% Patch For Treating Postherpetic Neuralgia

NeurogesX Inc.'s Capsaicin (Qutenza) 8% patch has received approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for managing neuropathic or shingle-related pain, the result of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

This is the first product containing prescription-strength capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers that gives them their heat sensation , to get approval.

The patch applied by a physician or a healthcare professional, delivers a synthetic form of capsaicin and works by targeting certain pain nerves around the skin area experiencing the pain. Clinical studies show PHN pain can be reduced for up to 12-weeks following a single 1-hour treatment.

An excruciatingly painful condition, PHN affects many aspects of a patient's quality of life. Despite, a variety of pain medications, undesirable side effects ensure their use is limited. The capsaicin 8% patch provides a unique treatment option and could be useful as a treatment option in combination with existing therapies.

Up to 4-patches cut to conform to the size and shape of the painful area can be used. A locally-acting, non-narcotic medication, the Capsaicin 8% patch is unlikely to cause side-effects like drowsiness, including any drug interactions. The treatment may be repeated every three months as justified by the return of pain.

The only common adverse reactions found in the clinical trials were: reddening of the skin at the site of application, itching, pain, and papules, with the majority of them transient and self limiting. Serious adverse reactions included pain at the site of application site, increased blood pressure which occurred during or shortly after treatment.

The European Union has also given its approval for the capsaicin 8% patch.