Long life tied to 3 genes
Having any one of these genes can confer a longer and healthier life.
"People with exceptionally long lives offer us a shortcut in understanding diseases and what prevents them," said Dr. Nir Barzilai, director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. He studied 300 Ashkenazi Jews between 95 and 108 years old and their children, many of whom themselves have lived beyond the average life span - 77.6 years.
Thirty percent of these families had any one of these three genes, compared with 5 percent of people without a history of longevity.
One gene, called CETP, was present in 8 percent of 65-year-olds. The incidence jumped to 25 percent in those who made it to 105. CETP regulates lipoproteins, which shuttle cholesterol and triglycerides through the bloodstream. CETP increases the good form of cholesterol, HDL. Those who inherited this rare form also showed no signs of dementia, seen in 50 percent of people over 85.
Barzilai reported the findings earlier this week at a meeting on dementia, sponsored by Albert Einstein College.
Another longevity gene identified is called apoC-III, also involved in lipid metabolism. The third gene is APM1, involved in regulation of insulin and the inflammatory process.
In the future, scientists could develop medicines to manipulate proteins made by these genes, Barzilai said, adding that Pfizer is testing a cholesterol-lowering drug that seems to do the same thing CETP does.
Health Headlines
upcoming Events
U.S. Events
congresses
fellowships
-
Aesthetic Medicine Module I
Las Vegas, NV | Dec. 9-10, 2009 -
Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine Modules I, II, III & IX
Las Vegas, NV | Dec. 10-12, 2009 -
Preventative Medicine, Nutrition & Sports Medicine Module I
Las Vegas, NV | Dec. 9-11, 2009 -
Fellowship in Preventative Medicine, Nutrition & Sports Medicine Module III
Las Vegas, NV | Dec. 11-12, 2009
symposium
-
Advanced Hormone Symposium
Chicago, IL | Oct. 8-10, 2010
VIDEO: Brain Age Workshop
Dr. Eric Braverman, Director of The Place for Achieving Total Health
(PATH Medical), Chairs the
Brain Age Workshop taking place Dec. 9, 2009.
Held in conjunction with the Winter Session of the 17th Annual World
Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine & Regenerative Biomedical Technologies.
The Brain Age Workshop features presentations on Brain Mind Assessment
via Neuropsychological Analysis, Movement Deficiency Syndrome,
Hormones and the Brain, Nootropic Drug Mechanisms, and Traumatic Brain
Injury. View this video to learn about Dr. Braverman’s brain-based
model of aging and age modulation.
International Events
- Mexico City | Jan. 15-17, 2010
- Milan | Mar. 18-20, 2010
- Kuala Lumpur | Apr. 29 - May 2, 2010
- Jakarta | May 2010 (pending)
- Bucharest | May 2010 (pending)
- Seoul | May 2010 (pending)
- Melbourne | Aug. 21-22, 2010
- Dubai | Oct. 26-27, 2010
- Bali | October 2010 (pending)
- Mainz-Frankfurt | Nov. 8-10, 2010
- Sao Paulo | Nov. 12-14, 2010
- Shanghai | November 2010 (pending)





