All articles tagged with #lifespan
Researchers publish the first lifespan atlas of brain functional connectivity, using fMRI data from about 3,600 people aged from infancy to 100 years to chart how brain networks reorganize from sensory processing to higher‑order cognition and relate to cognitive performance in young adults.
A large-scale lifespan study maps three core functional gradients—sensory–association (SA), visual–somatosensory (VS), and modulation–representation (MR)—across birth to 100 years, showing early anchoring to primary sensory systems, differentiation along association and control axes through development, and later dedifferentiation with aging; these gradients relate to cognitive performance, structure–function coupling, and transcriptomic patterns, providing a normative lifespan atlas for brain organization.
A Finnish twin study of almost 15,000 women found that having about two to three children is associated with the slowest aging and longest life, while having far more (around 6.8) or not having children is linked to higher mortality and faster biological aging; age at childbirth also matters, with earlier births tied to faster aging. The findings show associations, not causation, and researchers caution against changing personal reproductive plans based on this study, noting that many factors influence aging and lifespan.
A life-span feature shows anxiety as a common, normal response to uncertainty that spans childhood to older age, offering stage-specific strategies: validate and normalize feelings in kids, model openness for teens, foster healthy habits and social connection in young adulthood, prioritize friendship and self-care in midlife, and use CBT, sleep hygiene and gradual exposure in older age, with guidance on when to seek help.
A twin-registry analysis that accounts for extrinsic mortality finds genetics account for about 50% of variation in human lifespan, more than double previous estimates, reshaping how scientists study aging and search for longevity genes.
Researchers monitored 81 African turquoise killifish from adolescence to death, identifying 100 behavioral building blocks and showing that by early adulthood, differences in sleep and movement predict total lifespan. Shorter-lived fish nap more during the day and swim slower, while longer-lived fish stay active during daylight. Aging appears as 2–6 rapid transitions rather than a smooth decline, with coordinated changes in liver gene activity related to protein production and cellular maintenance aligning with the predictive behavioral shifts. The work suggests behavior can be a sensitive, noninvasive readout of aging and hints wearables could reveal human aging trajectories and potential intervention windows.
Scientists tracked 81 African turquoise killifish from adolescence to death with 24/7 video and a machine-learning model, finding that more active, faster-moving fish tended to live longer and those that slept mainly at night also reached older ages, while daytime napping correlated with shorter lifespans. The study suggests early-life behaviour can forecast ageing long before disease signs emerge.
Using decades of twin data from Denmark and Sweden, researchers estimate that genetics account for about 55% of lifespan variation after removing extrinsic causes of death, with lifestyle and environment making up the remaining ~45%. The findings imply a possible genetic ceiling to human lifespan, though no single longevity gene exists and lifestyle still matters. The study calls for larger, more diverse datasets to confirm whether this genetic limit holds across populations.
A Finnish study of 14,836 twin-derived women links both no children and high child counts (average ~6.8) to worse biological aging and higher mortality, while having about two to three children (and pregnancies at ages ~24–38) shows the best aging markers. Early births may also relate to aging, but effects largely fade after accounting for lifestyle factors. The findings are observational and not causal, and unmeasured variables may influence both reproductive history and health; researchers caution against using this to guide individual family planning.
A UK Biobank study of more than 270,000 participants found higher blood tyrosine levels linked to shorter life expectancy in men—potentially shaving nearly a year off lifespan—with no clear effect in women. After adjusting for related amino acids and factors, phenylalanine showed no association. Possible explanations include insulin resistance and sex-specific hormone pathways; the study does not test tyrosine supplements directly, but results suggest dietary protein or tyrosine levels could influence aging, warranting further research.
A long-used hypertension medication, rilmenidine, extended lifespan in the worm C. elegans and induced youthful metabolic changes in mice, pointing to aging pathways that can be slowed with an existing drug. The study links the effect to the nish-1 receptor and autophagy, with older animals benefiting nearly as much as younger ones, and suggests early human trials could focus on biomarkers if safety remains favorable.
A leading longevity researcher predicts humans could someday live to about 150 years thanks to advances in aging biology and potential rejuvenation interventions, though no timeline is given. He and others have developed aging clocks to measure biological age and assess interventions, with optimism that major breakthroughs could substantially extend healthspan, even if living 1,000 years remains unlikely; experts emphasize that quality of life and independence will shape how such longevity translates to real life.
A large twin-based analysis from the Weizmann Institute estimates that about 55% of the variation in human lifespan is genetic—far higher than prior 6–25% figures—after separating intrinsic aging from extrinsic death causes and studying twins and siblings raised apart. The finding, published in Science (2026), suggests genetics has a major role in aging and will spur ongoing searches for longevity genes using modern datasets.
A new analysis published in Science estimates that intrinsic lifespan is about 50% heritable after accounting for extrinsic death causes like accidents and infections, using twin data from Sweden, Denmark, and the U.S. This method contrasts with older estimates (6–25%) and suggests genetics play a larger role than previously thought, though environment and lifestyle remain crucial. The research was limited mainly to Northern European populations, and further work is needed to confirm applicability across diverse groups and to translate findings into aging interventions aimed at extending healthspan.
A Science study published in Science suggests genetics accounts for more than half of the differences in how long people live, meaning our genetic baseline strongly influences lifespan. Environment and lifestyle still matter, potentially shifting a person’s genetically influenced age by about five years through exercise, diet, and social connections. There is no single “longevity gene,” and while maximum human lifespan may hover around 120 years, healthspan and quality of life remain key goals as scientists pursue deeper genetic understanding and potential interventions.