Larger brain leads to longer lifespan, says new study

Large brain can do more than the boost of intelligence – they can also be bound by stronger immune system and longer lifespan, according to a new genetic study from the University of Bath.

Published in Scientific reportsThe study analyzed genomic data of 46 mammal species, including cats, pandas and dolphins, and discovered that longer lifespan is linked to extensions in immune -related genfales and larger relative brain sizes, especially in species such as people, elephants and primates.

“We have identified 236 gene families that showed significant positive correlations with maximum lifespan potential in the fylogenic of mammals,” the researchers wrote. “Genes in these families are enriched with functional annotations of the immune system and between genes that are previously associated with aging and lifespan.”

Maximum lifetime potential refers to the age that the surviving individual has reached in a species that can vary drastically. In contrast to the average lifespan, which is influenced by environmental factors such as war, predators or illness, MLSP reflects the biological limit of the species.

According to data from the World Health Organization, the average expectation of human life in 2021 was 71.3 years. The current oldest living man is Ethel Caterham, born in 1909, from the United Kingdom. She is 115 years old. The oldest ever recorded was Jeanne Cooling of France, who lived 122.

The average life expectancy of a dog, on the other hand, generally varies from 10 to 13 years. Spike, the verified oldest living dog, is a 25-year-old Chihuahua mix from the United States. The oldest verified dogs that were aware, however, was an Australian cattle dog called Bluey, who lived 29. Conversions between the real age of a dog and the estimated “human age” can vary based on size and breed.

Research into the relationship between brain size and a long service life dates decades. Building on this earlier research, scientists believe that exposing the genetic basis of MLSP can reveal how evolution is outdated by influencing cellular decline and energy metabolism.

According to the researchers, the study was responsible for physical properties such as body and brain size, and life history factors such as age in adulthood and pregnancy time, when analyzing the genetic patterns coupled to how the lifespan evolves.

“We have discovered evidence of a shared molecular machines associated with the evolution of maximum lifetime potential and relative brain size, with 161 gene families who held a significant link with both phenotypes when they were included in the same models,” they said. “This common genomic signature corresponds to the established evolutionary relationship between lifetime and relative brain size in vertebrate animals. Conversely, no associations were found with pregnancy time, age in sexual adulthood or body mass.”

Apart from just the number of genes, the researchers discovered that the genes linked to MLSP were more active in people and could be used in more varied ways to produce different proteins. This suggests that both the level of gene activity and flexibility in how genes are used can help support longer lifespan.

Moreover, it was already known that many of these genes are related to the human lifespan, which indicates possible shared biological patterns between what influences the species -wide lifespan and what influences the individual lifespan.

The findings of the study suggest that both the function of the immune system and the brain size play a central role in the evolution of long service life, and that the same genetic mechanisms can underlie the lifespan of the lifespan between species and within people.

“These new discoveries improve our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the aging process,” said the study. “Given the reversible nature of epigenetic data, these investigations illuminate promising roads for therapeutic interventions in aging and age -related ailments, including cancer.”