A little stress may be good for you
[10 December 2003 - EurekAlert] We've often heard that red wine and dark chocolate in moderation can be good for you. Now it appears that a little stress may be beneficial, too. Northwestern University scientists have shown that elevated levels of special protective proteins that respond to stress in a cell (known as molecular chaperones) promote longevity. Acute stress triggers a cascading reaction inside cells that results in the repair or elimination of misfolded proteins, prolonging life by preventing or delaying cell damage. The findings are published online by Molecular Biology of the Cell, a publication of the American Society for Cell Biology. The article will appear in print in the journal's February 2004 issue. ...