Physiological and behavioral correlates of lifespan in aged C57BL/6J mice

Physiological and behavioral measurements were made in a cohort of 29-month-old male C57BL/6J mice to determine whether any correlated significantly with lifespan. Significant linear relationships with lifespan were found among the physiological measures, including hematocrit and hemoglobin levels and collagen denaturation rate; however, body weight failed to be a significant predictor of survival. Among the behavioral variables studied, significant quadratic relationships with lifespan were found for exploratory activity and passive avoidance learning, while performance on a rotorod and a tightwire showed no significant relationships with lifespan. Through the use of multiple regression techniques, about one-third of the variance in lifespan could be explained by a combination of physiological variables, and about two-fifths could be explained by a combination of behavioral variables.