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Association of exceptional parental longevity and physical function in aging.
Emmeline Ayers1, Nir Barzilai, Jill P Crandall
1Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
|July 6, 2014
Summary
Children of exceptionally long-lived parents (OPEL) show better physical function in aging than offspring of parents with usual survival (OPUS). This suggests parental longevity may protect against age-related physical decline.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Genetics
- Aging Research
Background:
- Successful aging is characterized by maintained physical function.
- Exceptional parental longevity may confer genetic advantages for aging.
- The impact of parental longevity on offspring physical function is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare physical function in offspring of parents with exceptional longevity (OPEL) versus offspring of parents with usual survival (OPUS).
- To investigate the role of exceptional parental longevity in maintaining physical function during aging.
Main Methods:
- The LonGenity study cohort comprised Ashkenazi Jewish adults aged 65+.
- Participants were categorized as OPEL (≥1 parent lived to 95+) or OPUS (neither parent lived to 95).
- Subjective and objective physical function measures were compared between groups, controlling for confounders.
Main Results:
- Of 893 participants, 365 were OPEL and 528 were OPUS.
- OPEL demonstrated superior objective and subjective physical function compared to OPUS.
- Significant differences were observed in unipedal stance (p=0.009) and gait speed (p=0.002).
Conclusions:
- Exceptional parental longevity is associated with better physical function in older adults.
- Findings suggest a protective effect of parental longevity against age-related physical decline.
- Potential genetic mechanisms underlying this association warrant further investigation.
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