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Published on: July 14, 2016
Changing course in ageing research: The healthy ageing phenotype
Oscar H Franco1, Kavita Karnik, Gabrielle Osborne
1Unilever Corporate Research, Colworth Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, UK. O.H.Franco@warwick.ac.uk
Maturitas
|March 14, 2009
Summary
Healthy ageing is a lifelong process of functional decline, not necessarily disease. Research should focus on maintaining biological resilience and interventions to support healthy life expectancy.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Biomedical Sciences
- Public Health
Background:
- Ageing is a continuous process from conception, marked by functional decline, not inherently disease or poor quality of life.
- Current ageing research often focuses on animal models and palliative care for age-related diseases, neglecting the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype'.
- A gap exists between basic, epidemiological, and clinical research, with limited societal translation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype' and identify mechanisms and interventions to promote it.
- To reorient ageing research towards a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach centered on human biological resilience.
- To prioritize future research areas and improve the translation of scientific findings.
Main Methods:
- Convened a Spark workshop with international specialists from diverse ageing research fields.
- Facilitated discussions to define the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype' and explore its underlying mechanisms.
- Identified research gaps and opportunities for intervention and societal translation.
Main Results:
- Agreement on the need for a clear definition and attributes of the 'Healthy Ageing Phenotype'.
- Recognition of ageing research as fragmented, with poor interdisciplinary communication and societal impact.
- Identification of biological resilience as a key factor in maintaining health during ageing.
Conclusions:
- A holistic, multi-disciplinary approach is urgently needed, focusing on biological resilience, its maintenance, and reversibility.
- Future research should investigate mechanisms supporting health amidst pathological challenges and develop interventions to restore resilience.
- Effective translation of scientific findings to government, industry, and the public is crucial.
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