Russian study says stopping aging except somatic mutations prolongs life
A new study just dropped in npj Aging, and it asks a wild question: what if humans could live way longer, like up to 194 years?
Russian researchers crunched the numbers and say that if we could stop all aging except for DNA changes called somatic mutations, our median lifespan could stretch from 146 to even 194 years.
Protecting non-dividing cells may extend lifespan
The catch? It's all about certain cells, like neurons and heart muscle, that can't regenerate.
These non-dividing cells build up mutations over time, which seems to be the main thing capping how long we can last.
Meanwhile, organs like the liver (which can regrow) aren't hit as hard by these changes.
The big takeaway: figuring out how to protect or repair these stubborn cells might be key if we ever want to seriously extend human life.