The search for longevity and healthy aging genes: insights from epidemiological studies and samples of long-lived individuals.

ABSTRACT: Genetic factors clearly contribute to exceptional longevity and healthy aging in humans, yet the identification of the underlying genes remains a challenge. Longevity is a complex phenotype with modest heritability. Age-related phenotypes with higher heritability may have greater success in gene discovery. Candidate gene and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for longevity have had only limited success to date. The Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology Consortium conducted a meta-analysis of GWAS data for longevity, defined as survival to age 90 years or older, that identified several interesting associations but none achieved genome-wide significance. A recent GWAS of longevity conducted in the Leiden Longevity Study identified the ApoE E4 isoform as deleterious

SUBMITTER: Murabito JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3326242 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature