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Senescence is not inevitable.

Owen R Jones1,2, James W Vaupel3,4

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark. jones@biology.sdu.dk.

Biogerontology
|August 30, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Senescence, or aging, is not an inevitable biological process for all organisms. Evolutionary theories are evolving as new data reveal diverse aging patterns, challenging the idea that decline is universal.

Keywords:
EvolutionNegative senescenceNegligible senescenceNon-human agingSenescence

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Biogerontology
  • Demography

Background:

  • Senescence, characterized by increased mortality and decreased fertility with age, is traditionally viewed as a universal biological phenomenon.
  • Canonical evolutionary theories posit that such age-related decline is an inescapable feature of life.
  • However, emerging empirical evidence suggests a broader spectrum of aging patterns across species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the historical development of evolutionary theories concerning senescence.
  • To examine the empirical evidence that challenges the universality of senescence.
  • To explore the theoretical implications of diverse demographic trajectories.

Main Methods:

  • Historical review of evolutionary theories on senescence.
  • Analysis of empirical data on aging patterns across diverse organisms.
  • Synthesis of theoretical models for demographic trajectories.

Main Results:

  • Evolutionary theories initially proposed senescence as a ubiquitous outcome of aging.
  • Empirical data increasingly demonstrate that senescence is not universal.
  • A wide range of demographic trajectories, including negligible and negative senescence, are observed.

Conclusions:

  • Senescence is not an inevitable biological process.
  • Demographic diversity in aging is supported by both theoretical and empirical evidence.
  • Further research in biogerontology is needed to understand the full spectrum of aging.