Centenarians are a model of healthy aging. The onset of disability in these individuals is generally delayed until they are well into their mid-nineties.

Based upon the hypothesis that exceptionally old individuals are carriers of multiple genetic variants that influence their remarkable survival, a team of researchers from the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine and the Boston Medical Center conducted a genome-wide association study of centenarians.

Researchers led by Paola Sebastiani, PhD, a professor of biostatistics at the BU School of Public Health and Thomas Perls, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine at the BU School of Medicine and a Geriatrician at Boston Medical Center, built a unique genetic model that includes 150 genetic variants, known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). They found that these 150 variants could be used to predict if a person survived to very old ages (late 90s and older) with a high rate of accuracy.

They were able to identify 19 genetic clusters that characterized 90% of the centenarians studied.  These genetic clusters may help identify key subgroups of healthy aging based on the correlation with differences in the prevalence and age of onset of diseases as dementia, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
“These genetic signatures are a new advance towards personalized genomics and predictive medicine, where this analytic method may prove to be generally useful in prevention and screening of numerous diseases, as well as the tailored uses of medications,” said Dr. Perls, founder and director of the New England Centenarian Study.

The authors note, “Further investigation is needed to understand how and why these variants collectively predispose for exceptional longevity.”

If you are not one of the lucky ones to have the “longevity gene” as some are calling it, all is not lost! 

We’ve all read plenty of studies confirming that a healthy lifestyle; i.e., fresh fruits, fresh veggies, protein, not too much fat, not too much booze and daily exercise will lead to a healthier body.  There are even studies suggesting an active sex life is a precursor to living well. 

There is much you can do to increase your quality and quantity of life beginning with a good sense of humor and positive outlook.  If you’re going to live to be 100, you’re going to want to have some laughs along the way!

Laura King