By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The sons and daughters of people who live very long lives tend to get the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease later than others, but they're not immune from the memory-robbing disease, according to a new study. Based on comparisons of people in their 90s, their spouses, siblings, children and their children's spouses, researchers found that the offspring of people with exceptional longevity were about 40 percent less likely than peers to be cognitively impaired between ages 65 and 79.

A gene that acts like a garbage man to clean up old material in the cells boosted the life spans of fruit flies and may offer new paths in the fight against human aging, US researchers said Monday. When researchers manipulated the neurons of fruit flies to contain higher levels of the gene, known as parkin, they lived 28 percent longer and remained healthy, said the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A Mediterranean-style diet packed with fish, chicken and olive oil and low on fatty dairy products and meat may lower the risk of memory problems later in life, a large US study said on Monday. But the beneficial effects of eating a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids do not extend to people with diabetes, according to the research published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

One in three adults worldwide suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure, a major cause of death in rich and poorer countries alike.The World Health Day 2013 celebrated on Sunday attempted to raise alarm about the silent global killer and a main trigger for cardiovascular disease, that too often goes undiagnosed because symptoms are rare.According to experts, the good news is that when it is detected early enough, relatively simple steps can significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes.Compliance to a healthy lifestyle that encompasses