Cells need to chill out

Keeping cool, especially in older age, could help cells to regulate themselves and protect themselves from damage. When exposed to stressors such as extreme heat, our cells’ ability to maintain processes, like autophagy, are impaired. Autophagy is vital for ensuring that cells can dispose of dangerous build ups of proteins. "By lessening the time spent in a state of elevated internal body temperature, cooling centers may help to preserve autophagy in older adults, which may translate to greater cellular protection and improved health outcomes during an extreme heat event," stated first author James McCormick, University of Ottawa (ON, Canada). The...