As the actress Joan Collins noted, “age is just a number,” a sentiment now partially supported by scientific data. In-depth studies of the biology of supercentenarians have shown that extreme old age may be reached without significant brain degradation or the onset of age-related diseases.
Spanish scientists conducted an extensive study on Maria Branyas Morera, who was the world’s oldest person before her death at the age of 117. Although her body underwent marked age-related physiological changes, researchers discovered biological factors that protected her from the diseases commonly found in advanced old age. This research highlights that the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors plays a crucial role in longevity and maintaining health in extreme age.
According to Dr. Manel Esteller of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in Barcelona, “The common rule is that as we age we become sicker, but Maria was an exception and we wanted to understand why.”
In the final years of her life, Maria Branyas Morera, who died at the age of 117 and was considered the world’s oldest person, agreed to have her body studied. To do this, scientists collected samples of her blood, saliva, and other tissues. Based on these materials, the scientists created a complete picture of her organism.
The research led to several significant findings:
- Reduced Telomere Length: The telomeres (protective caps) at the ends of Morera’s chromosomes were found to be exceptionally short, a clear marker of cellular aging. It is speculated that these short telomeres limited the uncontrolled division of cells, thereby protecting her from cancer.
- Low-Level Inflammation: Despite the natural weakening of the immune system with age, the inflammatory processes in Maria Branyas Morera’s body were at a low level. Chronic inflammation often leads to diseases like cancer and diabetes by damaging cells and organs. Since these processes were minimal in Maria’s body, this factor protected her from these types of diseases.
- Genetic Resistance: DNA analysis revealed gene variants that protected her heart and brain cells from diseases and dementia.
- Efficient Metabolism: Maria’s body had the ability to efficiently metabolize cholesterol and fat, which is also important for the prevention of age-related diseases.
As Dr. Esteller states, these factors are critically important because they are precisely linked to the typical diseases that reduce life expectancy in older people.
The team then used epigenetic clocks, which examine gene expression patterns, to assess Branyas’s biological age. “She was at least 10 to 15 years younger than her chronological age,” Esteller declared. Her gut microbiome was also very young for her age and contained a large amount of Bifidobacterium, which is considered beneficial for health.
However, her long life wasn’t solely due to genetics. Branyas was not overweight, ate a lot of yogurt, and neither smoked nor drank. She also had a good social life with friends and family, which, according to Esteller, undoubtedly helped.
Manel Esteller believes that this research provides an opportunity to create new drugs that will replicate the action of ‘healthy’ genes. This would allow us to extend people’s lives and maintain health in old age, regardless of genetics.
