Despite worldwide interest in the increasing human “healthspan,” inadequate experimental
attention has been dedicated to identifying genetic influences on successful aging
beyond those that influence longevity alone. Although it is an under-studied topic,
some promising leads have emerged from the existing genetic studies of successful
aging. Here we describe the results of a systematic review of published family, twin,
linkage, and association studies of successful aging that evaluated at least one other
characteristic of healthy aging in addition to longevity. We identified 29 studies
that met our criteria. Although methodological inconsistencies in sampling and phenotypes
were frequent, we found evidence for a substantial genetic contribution to successful
aging, including several specific genes (APOE, GSTT1, IL6, IL10, PON1, and SIRT3)
that are promising candidates for future molecular genetic research. In addition to
reviewing this literature, we provide recommendations for advancing our understanding
of the genetic basis of successful aging.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 09, 2007
Accepted:
September 13,
2006
Received in revised form:
September 12,
2006
Received:
July 10,
2006
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
