Adaptive ageing

Lifespan and the rate of ageing are evolved traits, and an intricate part of species life histories. Variation in ageing and lifespan within populations is largely environmentally determined, and are hence susceptible to environmental change. Pathological ageing effects in e.g. the brain induce adaptive mitigating responses that combined with the pathological change, shape the ageing phenotype. In the context of healthy ageing, healthspan is of greater interest than lifespan, but the relation between healthspan on the one hand, and lifespan and the rate of ageing on the other hand is not well understood. Study of the process and evolution of ageing will provide the necessary knowledge to predict effects of environmental change on lifespan and ageing, and will guide the development of strategies to maximize human healthspan.

Coordinator(s): Simon Verhulst, Eddy van der Zee