Matt Kaeberlein: Substantially extending life in a normally aging population requires changing the body's aging processes
Matt Kaeberlein: Substantially extending life in a normally aging population requires changing the body's aging processes
On 22 August, biogerontologist Matt Kaeberlein proposed a criterion for longevity research. In his view, substantially increasing either the age reached by half of a population or the longest lifespan among its members requires targeting biological aging.
Aging researcher Pankaj Kapahi began the discussion by drawing a distinction: a longer life and slower aging are separate traits. Kaeberlein shifted the discussion to the population level. An individual's lifespan can increase when a specific threat is removed. The same can occur in a population whose lives are often cut short by external causes, such as predators. In a May discussion about healthspan and lifespan, Kaeberlein had already addressed this distinction. In his new response, he proposes using it to evaluate research strategies.
Median lifespan is the age reached by half of a population. Maximum lifespan is the longest lifespan attained by any of its members. Kaeberlein links substantial increases in these measures to biological aging, which consists of processes that cause the risks of several diseases to rise together with age.
In a 2013 review, he wrote that the risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia increase with age. By this reasoning, targeting shared aging processes could delay the onset and progression of several diseases. Treating one disease does not stop the risks of the others from continuing to rise with age.
In his response from 22 August, Kaeberlein stated the criterion as follows:
“One disease at a time will not achieve this. Neither will two diseases at a time. What will?”
When evaluating a research approach, Kaeberlein proposes identifying the general age-related process it affects and determining whether it can delay several diseases whose risks increase with age.