US EditionStudy Finds Genetics Account for 55% of Human Lifespan
Researchers found genetics explain 50–55% of lifespan variation when excluding deaths from external causes, doubling previous estimates and highlighting genetics' larger role in longevity.
- Thursday, an international team of researchers published in Science that genetics explain about 50% of variation in human lifespan using human twin-study datasets.
- Researchers reanalyzed twin datasets by separating extrinsic mortality from intrinsic mortality, reducing non-genetic 'noise' that obscured genetic influence in prior studies using centuries-old data.
- Using historical twin and sibling records from Denmark, Sweden and the U.S., the mathematical model developed by the study authors estimated heritability could reach 55% after rerunning analyses for age-linked infection vulnerability.
- Study authors argue a substantial genetic contribution supports sequencing centenarians to identify longevity variants and refine polygenic risk scores, aiding drug discovery while IVF startups promise embryo-based lifespan inference.
- Researchers caution that roughly 50% of lifespan reflects environmental factors, while few longevity-associated genes like FOXO3, APOE and SIRT6 are identified, with Eric Verdin urging careful interpretation.
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70 Articles
A study by the Weizmann Institute of Sciences of Israel, published in Science magazine, redefines the role of genetics in human longevity. Contrary to the belief extended over decades, which placed the heredability of life expectancy between 20% and 25%, this research suggests that genetic factors account for approximately 50% of the variation in people’s life expectancy. This finding doubles previous estimates and promises to redirect research …
It is noted that previous research minimized the impact of genetics due to data limitations, leading to erroneous conclusions
More than 50 percent of people live for a long time depending on their genes. An Israeli study has now come to this conclusion, which goes beyond previous estimates, according to which the hereditary proportion is only 20 to 25 percent. Some researchers also calculated lower proportions. For the current study, the team headed by Ben Shenhar from the Weizmann Institute in Israel evaluated data from various twin cohorts born between 1870 and 1935.…
Our genes play a much greater role in how long we live than previously thought.
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