Challenges and Criticisms
The research provides “important evidence that targeting senescence and the molecular components of that pathway might provide some benefit in the long term,” Dr. Vaughan said.
But killing senescent cells could come with downsides.
“Senescence protects us from hyperproliferative responses,” potentially blocking cells from becoming malignant, Dr. Vaughan said. “There’s this effect on aging that is desirable, but at the same time, you may enhance your risk of cancer or malignancy or excessive proliferation in some cells.”
And of course, we don’t necessarily need drugs to prolong healthy life, Dr. Vaughan pointed out.
For many people, a long healthy life is already within reach. Humans live longer on average than they used to, and simple lifestyle choices — nourishing your body well, staying active, and maintaining a healthy weight — can increase one’s chances of good health.
The most consistently demonstrated intervention for extending lifespan “in almost every animal species is caloric restriction,” Dr. Vaughan said. (Dr. Xu’s team is also investigating whether fasting and exercise can lead to a decrease in p21high cells.)
As for brain health, Dr. Vaughan and colleagues at Northwestern are studying “super agers,” people who are cognitively intact into their 90s.
“The one single thing that they found that contributes to that process, and contributes to that success, is really a social network and human bonds and interaction,” Dr. Vaughan said.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.