Health and function of participants in the Long Life Family Study: A comparison with other cohorts

Abstract

Individuals from families recruited for the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) (n= 4559) were examined and compared to individuals from other cohorts to determine whether the recruitment targeting longevity resulted in a cohort of individuals with better health and function. Other cohorts with similar data included the Cardiovascular Health Study, the Framingham Heart Study, and the New England Centenarian Study. Diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease and peripheral artery disease tended to be less common in LLFS probands and offspring compared to similar aged persons in the other cohorts. Pulse pressure and triglycerides were lower, high density lipids were higher, and a perceptual speed task and gait speed were better in LLFS. Age-specific comparisons showed differences that would be consistent with a higher peak, later onset of decline or slower rate of change across age in LLFS participants. These findings suggest several priority phenotypes for inclusion in future genetic analysis to identify loci contributing to exceptional survival.

Association of exceptional parental longevity and physical function in aging

“…A stronger trend was seen with the objective physical function measures, which may be more sensitive to early physical function decline in high functioning adults . These results are consistent with conclusions described by Newman and colleagues indicating that continuous measures of physical function, like gait speed, may be sensitive for detecting "rate of aging" and early signs of future disability (Newman et al 2011). Closer examination of the objective measures showed that age adjusted mean performance for both groups was in the normal range reported in our and other studies indicating the overall high functional status of our cohort (Guralnik et al 2000;Oh-Park et al 2010;Oh-Park et al 2011;Springer et al 2007).…”

“…Good physical function is rated highly among attributes of successful aging in surveys of the general elderly population (Bowling and Dieppe 2005;Rowe and Kahn 1998). Emerging evidence from human and animal studies shows that genetics partially determine exceptional longevity, and associated successful aging phenotypes (Adams et al 2008;Barzilai et al 2006;Barzilai et al 2003;Murabito et al 2012;Newman et al 2011). Offspring of parents with exceptional longevity (OPEL) who are more likely to carry longevity-associated genotypes may age more successfully than offspring of parents with usual survival (OPUS) (Barzilai et al 2006;Barzilai et al 2003).…”

“…Offspring of parents with exceptional longevity (OPEL) who are more likely to carry longevity-associated genotypes may age more successfully than offspring of parents with usual survival (OPUS) (Barzilai et al 2006;Barzilai et al 2003). While many genetic and non-genetic factors (e.g., environment and disease) interact to determine the final physical phenotype in aging, there has been limited examination of the contribution of exceptional parental longevity to maintenance of physical function in aging (Frederiksen et al 2002;Newman et al 2011).…”

Towards a multidimensional healthy ageing phenotype

“…Importantly, the ageing process is plastic and the accumulation of molecular damage and cell dysfunction can be slowed (8). Models of healthy ageing have been based on Rowe and Kahn's 1987 proposal which differentiated between healthy older individuals and those with disease and/or disability (6).…”

Hormones, reproduction and disease in the longest-lived rodent: the naked mole rat

“…4 The key to extreme human longevity is believed to be a mix of genetics and environmental factors such as healthy habits and dietary patterns. [5][6][7] Aging research recently uncovered many of the molecular pathways involved in organism life span [including growth factors (i.e. insulin, IGF-1 and others), enzymes (i.e.…”