Recent Progeria Research

KeralaNext.com provides a good summary of recent research into Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, a condition of greatly accelerated aging. The genetic cause was recently identified - this offers hope for a cure in the years ahead, as well as increased understanding of the normal aging process. "Low levels of HDL, or the 'good' cholesterol, play a role in the development of heart disease in children with progeria. ... Dr. Smoot said that the next step in research will be to understand the relationship between the lamin A protein and HDL cholesterol levels. Such research, she said, could have 'huge implications for everybody. Aging and heart disease are the two most significant issues for most people in Western society, so anything we learn along the way might provide clues for the general population.'"

Link: http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=165525