longevity

Introduction

Longevity, or the length of an individual's life, is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. Research on longevity spans various disciplines, including genetics, evolutionary biology, psychology, and public health. This synthesis aims to present key insights from multiple research papers on the determinants and implications of human longevity.

Key Insights

Genetic Factors and Longevity:
- Longevity has a strong genetic component, with genes involved in metabolism and resistance to oxidative stress playing significant roles. Studies in model organisms and humans suggest that genetic pathways promoting longevity are conserved across species.
Evolutionary Perspectives:
- The disposable soma theory posits that longevity results from a trade-off between somatic maintenance and reproduction. Species with low extrinsic mortality invest more in maintenance, leading to slower aging . This theory is supported by comparative studies and theoretical models.
- Human life histories show a trade-off between longevity and reproductive success, with longer-lived individuals having fewer offspring.
Environmental and Lifestyle Factors:
- Calorie restriction has been shown to extend lifespan in various species by enhancing stress response mechanisms, suggesting an evolutionary adaptation to fluctuating food availability.
- Positive self-perceptions of aging are associated with increased longevity, with individuals holding more positive views living up to 7.5 years longer.
Cultural and Societal Influences:
- Longevity among hunter-gatherer populations suggests that post-reproductive longevity is an adaptive feature of human life, not solely a result of modern medical advances.
- Exceptional longevity is multifactorial, involving a combination of genetic, environmental, and cultural factors. Long-lived individuals often exhibit delayed onset of age-related diseases and resistance to lethal illnesses.
Psychological and Behavioral Aspects:
- Individual uncertainty about longevity influences behaviors related to health and retirement. Higher uncertainty is linked to healthier lifestyles and increased demand for long-term care insurance.

Conclusion

Research on longevity highlights the intricate balance between genetic predispositions, evolutionary adaptations, environmental influences, and individual behaviors. Genetic factors play a crucial role, but lifestyle choices and psychological perceptions also significantly impact lifespan. Understanding these diverse determinants can inform public health strategies and individual decisions aimed at promoting longer, healthier lives.

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Individual Uncertainty About Longevity

Individual uncertainty about longevity is large and equal to more than 10 years for men and women, and using private information, mainly parents' survival and longevity, reduces the probability of unhealthy lifestyles.

Evolution, stress, and longevity

Long-lived species invest more effort in maintenance, leading to slower intrinsic ageing, and the response to calorie restriction may be an evolutionary adaptation.

Longevity Among Hunter‐ Gatherers: A Cross‐Cultural Examination

Modern "Homo sapiens" has an adaptive life span of 68-78 years, based on mortality profiles from small-scale hunter-gatherer and horticultural populations around the world.

Human longevity at the cost of reproductive success

Human longevity involves a trade-off between longevity and reproductive success, with early death and older death affecting progeny numbers and childbirth ages.

Exceptional Human Longevity

Exceptional longevity is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by genes, environment, resiliency, and chance, with cultural and geographical factors playing a role.

Evolution of Senescence and Specific Longevity

Senescence and specific longevity are closely linked, with organisms differing greatly in longevity despite having equally good environments.

A cytoprotective perspective on longevity regulation.

Cytoprotective mechanisms, including detoxification, innate immunity, proteostasis, and oxidative stress response, play a crucial role in longevity extension across diverse triggers and species.

Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging.

Positive self-perceptions of aging lead to 7.5 years longer lifespan in older individuals, with this effect partially mediated by the will to live.

A Model of the Demand for Longevity and the Value of Life Extension

Optimal health and longevity are increasing functions of endowed wealth rather than current income, with the value individuals ascribe to their health potentially increasing over time.

Genetics of longevity and aging.

Longevity is influenced by genes involved in metabolism and resistance to oxidative stress, with potential implications for aging and cardiovascular disease.

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