Transcript Aging-prevention paradigm: against the idle brain Natallia Aniskovich Oleg Artemenko

Aging-prevention paradigm:
against the idle brain
Natallia Aniskovich
Oleg Artemenko
B.R.A.I.N. Interdisciplinary Center for
Neuroscience
University of Trieste
Trieste
Italy
Department of Japan and Korean Studies
Faculty of Foreign Relations
Belarusian State University
Minsk
Belarus
Modern situation: aged society
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Two approaches to aging
passive longevity
 anti-aging

Passive longevity
 Evidence:
 Aging boom or longevity revolution
 Particular characteristics of Japan
 Due to:
 Decline in infectious and parasitic diseases
 Improved sanitarian
Passive longevity
 Prognosis
substantial increase of chronically ill bedridden
persons with need of home and institutional care
large problems in the conditions of information
society and changed demography situation
The main question:
 How to make longevity
effective?
Anti-aging paradigm
 Goal: slowing the rate of aging and finding
the ways of effective aging
 Effective aging: conservation of both
physical and mental capacities for the whole
life extended period
Anti-aging paradigm
 Promises: allows people to be effectively
involved in labor, can diminish the need for
home or institutional care and in general
coincides to the demands of information
society
Anti-aging paradigm
Convergent technologies
nano - bio - info - cognio
NBIC
Gerontotechnologies
Gerontotechnologies
However, nowadays such technologies are
mostly used not in anti-aging context, but
otherwise in the context of adaptation of
passive elderly
They are based also on information
technologies
Gerontotechnologies
National Institute for Longevity Sciences (Japan)
Department of Gerontotechnologies:
 new information technologies and e-Japan strategy
are used to create more convenient society and
adaptive environment
 Intelligent transportation system and barrier free
environment for elderly and disabled persons
Gerontotechnologies
biotechnologies + nanotechnologies
stem cell therapy, therapeutic cloning, gene
engineering, investigations related to human genome
and proteomics
the optimized care of our organisms
and the extended life duration
Gerontotechnologies
Is this really enough?
an active approach to
extended longevity
Against the idle brain
new technologies would be involved in the
stimulation of both mental and physical activity
during aging and extended life
«against the idle brain»
Against the idle brain
a synthesis of old and traditional japanese
longevity techniques
allows for the person itself to control
the process of aging
Traditional longevity techniques
 «Nourishment of life» (yōjō)
 «Bible of longevity» (Yōjōkun)
nourishing the spirit was the primary
goal and have been treated to be more
important then nourishing the body
Traditional longevity techniques
The original japanese health systems remained from
the epoch of western transformations in Japan seem
to be most promising in the health- maintenance
modern strategy
They combine both elements of traditional yōjō
system with western approach in science and
medicine. They could be referred to as:
kenkōhō
Traditional longevity techniques
Japan represents an ideal social system
for elderly
- a perfect «experimental field» for the revival of
ancient health-oriented systems
- an active environment for older people and a
family-mediated society with intensive social
contacts involving both old and young generations
Against the idle brain
How to engage traditional techniques into
new gerontotechnologies or, otherwise,
how to apply new technologies to make old
techniques modern and effective?
Against the idle brain
 new technologies makes people too passive
in their daily activities and too hopeful on
any external efforts
 many neurodegenerative disorders seem to
be a payoff for the idle brain
Against the idle brain
biotechnologies application in the treatment
of neurodegeneration and dementia
complex programs of rehabilitation which
rely on active brain with potential of selfrestoration depending on high mental and
physical activity
Against the idle brain
the investigation of biomedical potential of
traditional healing practices and longevity
techniques
new reasonable ways of brain activity
stimulation and self-restorative capacities or
the search for mental modulation of
immune response
Against the idle brain
acceptance of traditional techniques as the
still provocative alternative to modern
highly technological approaches
technologically engaged counterparts
ways of synthesis
Against the idle brain
The goal:
brain controlling the process of aging and effective in
continuous information processing in information
society
Means:
the spirit approach of traditional techniques should be
converted into modern situation and be applicable as
a part of the whole anti-aging approach including
prospective bio- and nanotechnologies
General conclusions
Anti-aging-based health promoting system
for longevity society should include:
General conclusions
stimulating environment
provocating application of at least some aspects
of traditional longevity techniques and
mind-body therapy together with new anti-aging
therapies and technological implementations