Researchers unravel the mystery of centenarians

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Lucile Randon’s heart stopped beating in January. The French woman died just days before her 119th birthday and was the world’s oldest person until then. She explained that she was so old with her eagerness to work. “People say work kills you. But work kept me alive. I worked until I was 109.”

But why do some people grow old and others don’t? That is exactly what researchers from Boston University and Tufts Medical Center in the US have investigated. They analyzed the DNA and lifestyle of seven centenarians (average age 106) to unravel the mystery of old age.

«Unique, highly functional immune system»

The scientists examined the blood cells of the centenarians and compared the data with 52 younger people (aged 20-89). The researchers determined, among other things, unusual activities of the lymphocytes, the T and B cells. All important for the immune system.

“Taken together, these data suggest that centenarians have a unique, highly functional immune system that has successfully adapted to a range of disorders, enabling exceptional longevity,” said the study, published in the journal eBioMedicine. In fact, Lucile Randon herself survived a corona infection at the age of 117. Her immune system was intact. Unlike many older people, whose immune systems weaken over time.

Life expectancy continues to rise

It’s still unclear why the immune system behaves differently in centenarians. It is precisely this phenomenon that the scientists want to track down. “Centenarians and their extraordinary longevity provide a ‘blueprint’ for how we can live more productive and healthier lives. We hope to continue learning as much as we can about disease resistance and extending lifespan,” said lead author George J. Murphy, an associate professor of medicine at Boston University.

In general, we are getting older, as medicine in particular has developed enormously over the years. “If the development of mortality continues in this way, according to the model, men and women born in 2017 will be on average 91 and 94 years old,” writes the Federal Statistical Office. By comparison, life expectancy was 43 years for men born in 1876 and 47 years for women. (jmh)

Source: Blick