Dataset Information

Measures of Healthspan as Indices of Aging in Mice-A Recommendation.

ABSTRACT: Over the past decade, a large number of discoveries have shown that interventions (genetic, pharmacological, and nutritional) increase the lifespan of invertebrates and laboratory rodents. Therefore, the possibility of developing antiaging interventions for humans has gone from a dream to a reality. However, it has also become apparent that we need more information than just lifespan to evaluate the translational potential of any proposed antiaging intervention to humans. Information is needed on how an intervention alters the "healthspan" of an animal, that is, how the physiological functions that change with age are altered. In this report, we describe the utility and the limitations of assays in mice currently available for measuring a wide range of physiological functions that potentially impact quality of life. We encourage investigators and reviewers alike to expect at minimum an overall assessment of health in several domains across several ages before an intervention is labeled as "increasing healthspan." In addition, it is important that investigators indicate any tests in which the treated group did worse or did not differ statistically from controls because overall health is a complex phenotype, and no intervention discovered to date improves every aspect of health. Finally, we strongly recommend that functional measurements be performed in both males and females so that sex differences in the rate of functional decline in different domains are taken into consideration.

SUBMITTER: Richardson A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4834833 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Measures of Healthspan as Indices of Aging in Mice-A Recommendation.

Richardson Arlan A Fischer Kathleen E KE Speakman John R JR de Cabo Rafael R de Cabo Rafael R Mitchell Sarah J SJ Peterson Charlotte A CA Rabinovitch Peter P Chiao Ying A YA Taffet George G Miller Richard A RA Rentería René C RC Bower James J Ingram Donald K DK Ladiges Warren C WC Ikeno Yuji Y Sierra Felipe F Austad Steven N SN

The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 20150822 4

Over the past decade, a large number of discoveries have shown that interventions (genetic, pharmacological, and nutritional) increase the lifespan of invertebrates and laboratory rodents. Therefore, the possibility of developing antiaging interventions for humans has gone from a dream to a reality. However, it has also become apparent that we need more information than just lifespan to evaluate the translational potential of any proposed antiaging intervention to humans. Information is needed o ...[more]

PMID: 26297941

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified large numbers of genetic variants associated with cognition. However, little is known about how these genetic discoveries impact cognitive aging.MethodsWe conducted polygenic-index (PGI) analysis of cognitive performance in n = 168 European-ancestry adults aged 20-80. We computed PGIs based on GWAS of cognitive performance in young/middle-aged and older adults. We tested associations of the PGI with cognitive performance, as measured through neuropsychological evaluation. We explored whether these associations were accounted for by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of brain-aging phenotypes: total gray matter volume (GM), cortical thickness (CT), and white matter hyperintensities burden (WMH).ResultsParticipants with higher PGI values performed better on cognitive tests (B = 0.627, SE = 0.196, p = 0.002) (age, sex, and principal components as covariates). Associations remained significant with inclusion of covariates for MRI measures of brain aging; B = 0.439, SE: 0.198, p = 0.028). PGI associations were stronger in young and middle-aged (age<65) as compared to older adults. For further validation, linear regression for Cog PGI and cognition in the fully adjusted model and adding the interaction between age group and Cog PGI, showed significant results (B = 0.892, SE: 0.325, p = 0.007) driven by young and middle-aged adults (B = -0.403, SE: 0.193, p = 0.039). In ancillary analysis, the Cognitive PGI was not associated with any of the brain measures.ConclusionsGenetics discovered in GWAS of cognition are associated with cognitive performance in healthy adults across age, but most strongly in young and middle-aged adults. Associations were not explained by brain-structural markers of brain aging. Genetics uncovered in GWAS of cognitive performance may contribute to individual differences established relatively early in life and may not reflect genetic mechanisms of cognitive aging.

Dataset Information

Measures of Healthspan as Indices of Aging in Mice-A Recommendation.

Publications

Measures of Healthspan as Indices of Aging in Mice-A Recommendation.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets