In the context of a fast evolving scientific community with access to venture capital, the number of projects working around the field of longevity is exponentially increasing. From life extension to tissue regeneration, senescence cells and hacking epigenetics, the diversity of projects is fascinating and at the same time controversial.
The study of longevity can be divided in two main fields: increasing lifespan per se and increasing healthy lifespan. Being in most cases both interlinked as if you increase healthy lifespan, you tend no to prevent diseases that cause premature death and hence increase overall lifespan.
- Aging is the main cause of death in the world. Aging is usually not considered a disease although aging causes diseases that can be treated. Aka aging tends to cause degeneration of the tissues and hormone system and increases the risk of appearance of cancer, diabetes, heart diseases,.... Diseases that have treatments.
- Finding ways to delay the natural aging process is a way of delaying the appearance of those diseases.
Reversion of Frailty
Frailty is an epidemic that affects over 49% of seniors, who are either frail or pre-frail. Frailty is the leading indicator for loss of autonomy.
However, Frailty is reversible in its early stages, as proven by Professor Jose Viña and his team, when supported by specialized coaching and a methodology focused on certain muscle groups.
Professor Viña and Francisco Tarazona have now joined Hearts Radiant, to prove that frailty can be reverted from home too, through the usage of our App Rosita.
The areas of work are:
- Frailty measurement: Frailty can be measured by a specialized physiotherapist or gerontologist with tests such as TUG (Test Up and Go) or Palm Pressure. As part of our Clinical Trial, we are creating technologies to measure those from home with simple mobile phone sensors, accepting a reduction of precision in exchange for increased number of low cost data points that build a trendline.
- Frailty improvement: Frailty can be reversed with specific exercise methodologies on different muscle groups. In our clinical trial we aim to prove that the effectiveness of our exercises delivered at home can revert frailty. Our exercises are designed by gerontologists, doctors and physiotherapists to reduce the risk of falling and optimize the effectiveness of the method, all under the umbrella of entertainment (aka hiding exercises within different dancing movements)
- Coaching: One of the main challenges in reversing frailty is adherence to a method over several weeks. Professor Viña proved that performing collective classes with coaches created enough social pressure to increase the adherence significantly. At Hearts Radiant, we are creating technologies to coach seniors with artificial intelligence through a chatbot, and to enjoy classes in social groups, all oriented to increasing adherence.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Some relevant papers and favourite books about healthy longevity and increasing healthspan here
OUR CLINICAL TRIAL
In December 2020 we got approval to initiate a clinical trial to prove the reversion of Frailty with Rosita, in collaboration with Balneario de Cofrentes. You can read more here.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04711785
Copy of Longevity Science