Living longer, healthier lives: it's no longer science fiction

The idea of living longer while maintaining good health is no longer mere science fiction. Recent research demonstrates promising advancements in this field.

A study led by Ming Xu, a gerontologist at the University of Connecticut, proposes an innovative approach: not only to extend lifespan but also to improve the quality of extended life. This experimental treatment could allow people to age while remaining vigorous, a prospect that is capturing the attention of the scientific community.


During the 20th century, life expectancy significantly increased due to advancements in medicine and public health. However, this increased longevity is often accompanied by chronic illnesses such as cancer or diabetes, as well as growing frailty as the end of life approaches. Current interventions certainly extend lifespan, but they do not always ensure a healthy old age. Thus, spending the last years of life in decline remains a reality for many.

Ming Xu's team has developed a treatment that targets and eliminates inflammatory cells, identified by the expression of the p21 gene, in tissues. By applying this treatment monthly to a group of mice, researchers not only observed an extension of life by 9%, or approximately an additional 79 days, but also a significant improvement in physical health. The treated mice exhibited greater grip strength and faster walking speeds than their untreated counterparts, indicating better overall robustness.

One of the strengths of this study lies in its methodology. Unlike traditional research that focuses on a fixed point of measurement, Ming Xu's team followed the mice longitudinally, measuring their health, strength, and walking speed monthly from the age of 20 months, which is equivalent to about 60 years in humans. This approach allowed for observation of health changes throughout the mice's lives, providing a more comprehensive view of the treatment's effects.

The results obtained are encouraging: the treated mice not only lived longer but their physical condition remained better until the end of their lives. These findings raise exciting questions for human aging research. If this treatment could be adapted for humans, it might add 8 to 10 years of healthy life, radically transforming our approach to old age.

This study opens new perspectives for geriatric medicine. However, many challenges remain, particularly regarding the adaptation of this treatment for humans. Future research will need to explore variables such as treatment duration, appropriate dosages, and the impact on different population types. The prospect of healthier aging is nevertheless more tangible than ever thanks to these scientific advances.