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Before you panic — the conclusion in the title is based on research into mice not human beings — but there could potentially be some important insights for us human beings as well.
The researchers in a collaboration between the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) were looking for genetic markers of ageing to get a clearer insight into how genes influence ageing.
This was a large-scale study: first off, they analysed the genetic data from 27'574 mice studied each of which was a full sibling, sharing half its genetic inheritance with each other mouse in the program, and each has a known lifespan, making them an ideal system to study.
They then measured the genetic makeup of over 3’000 mice all of which were also brothers or sisters, sharing genetics. They were then allowed to live their natural lives. The genetics were then compared to their lifespans. With some intriguing results.
First off, they found that much of the difference was due to sex-based differences with females having a genetic stretch on chromosome three that seems to affect lifespans (making females live longer). So far nothing dramatically new to learn here. However, they also noted when they took those that died early out of the data that some genes seem to only become active or be…
