The secret to long life? It could be in the genes after all, say scientists
New study into ‘heritability’ shows that 50% of the variation in human lifespan could be down to genetics
TL;DR
- Previous studies underestimated the genetic contribution to human lifespan by not accounting for "extrinsic mortality" (deaths from accidents, diseases, etc.).
- A new mathematical model developed by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science takes extrinsic mortality into account.
- The study suggests that about 50% of the variation in human lifespan is due to genetics, similar to wild mice.
- The other 50% of lifespan variation is likely due to factors like lifestyle, diet, exercise, social relations, and environment.
- Improvements in public health have likely increased the estimated genetic contribution to lifespan over time.
- Discovering genes that impact lifespan could lead to therapies to slow aging and age-related diseases.