[Hereditary effects on the rate of aging in humans]

Twin samples of various ages (154 pairs) were studied in transverse section and under longitudinal observation to assess the quantitative correlation of genetic and environmental influences on the age changes of 320 characters specifying different functional systems of the human organism: nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, endocrine, locomotor, metabolic, somatic, and mental. An evidence was obtained for a decrease in relative role of inheritance and increase in environmental (both systemic and scholastic) influences on the age-related changes in various organs and body systems of humans in aging. Therefore, the rates of aging and health status in humans may be controlled to some extent by exerting selective influences on the corresponding environmental factors.