<h2>Same Figures</h2>
Nearly a year ago, researchers from the <a href="http://www.einstein.yu.edu/" target="_blank">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a> in New York released a study that identified a supposed limit to the maximum lifespan of human beings. In their study published in the journal Nature, the researchers pegged maximum human lifespan to an average of 115 years — a number Dutch statisticians from the <a href="https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/Tilburg-University/" target="_blank">Tilburg University</a> and the <a href="https://www.eur.nl/english/" target="_blank">Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)</a> seem to confirm.
The findings, which were released last week but are yet to be peer-reviewed, identified the average ceiling age for men at 114.1 years while it was slightly higher for women at 115.7 years. In both cases, the figures are very close to that October 2016 study&#8217;s findings. According to John Einmahl from Tilburg and Laurens de Haan from EUR, the human lifespan seems to have hit a limit, despite better nutrition, medical care and improved living conditions pushing life expectancy forward.
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7m8QlSPP7t0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;On average, people live longer, but the very oldest among us have not gotten older over the last thirty years,&#8221; <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-dutch-scientists-human-lifespan-limits.html" target="_blank">Einmahl told </a><a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-08-dutch-scientists-human-lifespan-limits.html" target="_blank">AFP</a>. &#8220;There is certainly some kind of a wall here. Of course the average life expectancy has increased,&#8221; he explained, saying that in the Netherlands the number of people reaching 95 have since tripled. &#8220;Nevertheless, the maximum ceiling itself hasn&#8217;t changed.&#8221;
<h2>Aging Limit</h2>
Einmahl and his colleagues used a brand of statistics known as Extreme Value Theory to analyze data taken from some 75,000 deceased Dutch persons, each one&#8217;s exact ages were recorded at the time of death. The period they studied covered 1986 until 2015, where they saw that the maximum age of human beings didn&#8217;t increase.
Although their numbers almost match, the Dutch researchers pointed out that the 2016 study has already been considered by many to be <a href="https://futurism.com/there-may-be-no-limits-to-how-long-humans-can-live/" target="_blank">based on flawed statistics</a>. &#8220;The present research has shown that there is a more or less constant ceiling to the maximum age in sight after all,&#8221;<a href="https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/current/news/press-release-oldest-human/" target="_blank"> a Tilburg Univeristy press release said</a>.
All of these, however, are yet to take into account the number of new researches all involved in so-called longevity or anti-aging studies. The science of extending human life has become very popular recently, especially with more experts considering aging to be a disease that can and should be cured. Many of the <a href="https://futurism.com/a-fourth-generation-dna-base-editor-could-replace-crispr/" target="_blank">advances in this field</a> involve work in biotechnology and genetic research, particularly the use of CRISPR.<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/how-crispr-works-the-future-of-genetic-engineering/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2015/01/Crispr-Cas-9.jpg" alt="How CRISPR Works: The Future of Genetic Engineering and Designer Humans" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/how-crispr-works-the-future-of-genetic-engineering/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
Other efforts include the development of some medicine that could help fight age-related disorders, particularly Alzheimer&#8217;s. <a href="https://futurism.com/new-anti-aging-technique-goes-to-clinical-trials/" target="_blank">Some of these pills </a>are making headway into <a href="https://futurism.com/first-science-backed-anti-ageing-drug-to-be-tested-in-humans-next-month/" target="_blank">clinical trials</a>, while most have proven to effectively remove signs of old age in lab tests with mice. One laboratory is even <a href="https://futurism.com/ai-is-helping-this-anti-aging-startup-uncover-ways-for-you-to-live-a-longer-healthier-life/" target="_blank">relying on artificial intelligence</a> to fast-track their anti-aging drug development.
With all these efforts, it may not be long before we finally stumble upon that modern &#8220;fountain of youth.&#8221; It&#8217;s worth keeping in mind what <a href="http://aging.nautil.us/feature/226/how-aging-research-is-changing-our-lives?utm_content=buffer7b1cf&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">one researcher said</a>: Yes, we&#8217;ll probably extend human life but &#8220;if you hear the word immortality, just run. There is no drug that can give you that.”

While the research awaits peer review, several other studies in recent years have made similar findings.

A Dutch study claims to project the maximum human lifespan

Hard Science

A study published in Nature plots an average maximum age limit for men and women, around 115 years. But there's still talk of pushing that ceiling.

A Dutch Study Claims to Project the Maximum Human Lifespan

Science helps us to live longer, but is there a natural limit beyond the reach of science?

<h2>The Key is in the Brain</h2>
Researchers at the <a href="http://www.einstein.yu.edu/" target="_blank">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a> in New York have successfully tested a new procedure on mice that could help keep age-related diseases, and even aging itself, at bay. Reporting <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature23282.html?foxtrotcallback=true">their findings in the journal Nature</a>, the researchers discovered the crucial role the hypothalamus —the region of the brain responsible for the body&#8217;s hormonal and metabolic processes— plays in aging. <figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/reverse-aging/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2015/10/reverseaging_home.jpg" alt="4 Scientifically Proven Ways to Help Reverse Aging" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/reverse-aging/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
&#8220;Our research shows that the number of hypothalamic neural stem cells naturally declines over the life of the animal, and this decline accelerates aging,&#8221; led researcher <a href="http://www.einstein.yu.edu/news/releases/1259/brain-cells-found-to-control-aging/" target="_blank">Dongsheng Cai said in a press release</a>. They found, however, that the process isn&#8217;t irreversible.
In order to figure out if the disappearance of stem cells was caused by (or due to) aging, they injected mice with a toxin that killed 70 percent of their neural stem cells. &#8220;This disruption greatly accelerated aging compared with control mice, and those animals with disrupted stem cells died earlier than normal,&#8221; Cai explained.
In a second experiment, the researchers implanted stem cells ready to become fresh neurons into the brains of older mice. This extended the life of the mice by 10 to 15 percent, and kept them physically and mentally fit for several months.
<h2>Getting a Handle on Aging</h2>
Previously, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature12143.epdf?referrer_access_token=p0cvXui59yWZm8dbNgM2Y9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0P8O-epb5oAHlRfQc6FAdk6WBwY5zPnu92ZopKGyyvnaZVQ724MEdsktpqAkkM6F_Rz_SDwgpm8U98GoUt4NPdrqRUKGhmcS26hQn7WY0spYS0X4keSjJUbfu2-yw7cMntljRJ74jbOJZwNfxN6FMjbiYDMmBdZ6qlz1I9pG2itRsrB0409O5vHoRVt5cKyQ4Qriw4mX7HRK8zgknAXJWVuTU6IIfHGt2Om_k1NlITcnPeigDQvj6MyUZS4RM945-QCkcVwaMZBfbKH9cQ4JGNG&amp;tracking_referrer=www.theguardian.com" target="_blank">other researchers have hinted</a> at the role the hypothalamus has in aging — though it has never before been pinpointed quite so clearly. Cai&#8217;s team seems to have provided the missing link, which could significantly pushed anti-aging research forward. “It is a tour de force,” David Sinclair at Harvard Medical School <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/26/stem-cell-brain-implants-could-slow-ageing-and-extend-life-study-shows" target="_blank">told The Guardian</a>. “It’s a breakthrough. The brain controls how long we live.&#8221;
Research in the field of aging has increased over the last several years as scientists warm up to the idea that <a href="https://futurism.com/more-scientists-are-pushing-to-have-aging-classified-as-a-disease/" target="_blank">aging itself is a disease</a> that can, and should, be cured. Perhaps not surprisingly, a lot of these potential treatments have a basis in <a href="https://futurism.com/scientists-uncover-genes-that-may-help-combat-aging-and-disease/" target="_blank">some function</a> of the brain. <a href="https://futurism.com/researchers-have-found-a-way-to-delay-aging/" target="_blank">One study examines the mitochondria</a>, while others <a href="https://futurism.com/first-science-backed-anti-ageing-drug-to-be-tested-in-humans-next-month/" target="_blank">look at drugs</a> that are <a href="https://futurism.com/alzheimers-drug-surprises-researchers-anti-ageing-effects/" target="_blank">already being used</a> to treat the effects of aging. One study is even going so far as to explore the anti-aging potential of <a href="https://futurism.com/new-research-shows-that-babies-blood-can-improve-memory/" target="_blank">transfusions using young blood</a>.
For Cai&#8217;s research, the next step is to test the procedure on humans, and the team wants to begin clinical trials soon. However, that may be a ways off yet. “Of course humans are more complex,” Cai said, also<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/26/stem-cell-brain-implants-could-slow-ageing-and-extend-life-study-shows" target="_blank"> speaking to </a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jul/26/stem-cell-brain-implants-could-slow-ageing-and-extend-life-study-shows" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>. “However, if the mechanism is fundamental, you might expect to see effects when an intervention is based on it.”

The experiment extended the animal's lives by 10-15%.

Induced nerve stem cells, micrograph

Health & Medicine

A team of researchers from New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine just discovered a breakthrough in anti-aging research.

Scientists Successfully Slow Aging in Mice Using Stem Cells

“It’s a breakthrough. The brain controls how long we live.”

<h2>Aging&#8217;s Genetic Factors</h2>
Ever since many scientists started to consider aging as a disease that could — and should — be cured, a number of efforts working towards this goal have begun. Researchers&#8217; approaches differ, of course. Some work to <a href="https://futurism.com/a-bacterium-could-be-the-key-to-an-anti-aging-pill-for-humans/" target="_blank">develop medicines</a>, others try<a href="https://futurism.com/young-blood-combat-aging-thanks-just-one-protein/" target="_blank"> blood transfusions</a>, while others are figuring out the <a href="https://futurism.com/ending-aging-scientists-say-telomeres-may-be-the-key-to-unlocking-near-immortality/" target="_blank">genetic factors</a> involved in aging. Of the latter, a team of geneticists recently made a discovery that could prolong the life of men.
<img class="alignright" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/06/male-longevity-1200x1359.png" alt="This Genetic Mutation Can Increase the Lifespan of Males" width="400" height="453" />
In a study published in the journal <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/6/e1602025" target="_blank">Science Advances</a>, the researchers discussed how they found a genetic mutation that has effects specific to men. Apparently, a deletion of a few base pairs from a <a href="http://www.nature.com/nrendo/journal/v6/n9/abs/nrendo.2010.123.html">growth hormone receptor</a> (d3-GHR) could add an average of 10 more years to a man&#8217;s lifespan. In studying the genes of 841 people from four different populations that exhibited longevity, the researchers discovered that two copies of d3-GHR become more prevalent with the age of men, but not women.
Researcher Gil Atzmon from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the University of Haifa in Israel found it amazing that with the d3-GHR deletion &#8220;you still have a functional protein that now makes people live longer,” <a href="https://gizmodo.com/scientists-find-genetic-mutation-that-could-increase-th-1796169908" target="_blank">he told </a><a href="https://gizmodo.com/scientists-find-genetic-mutation-that-could-increase-th-1796169908" target="_blank">Gizmodo</a>. “I think this is phenomenal.”
<h2>Effects Remain Unclear</h2>
Although the exact biological effects of d3-GHR remain unclear, Atzmon and his colleagues are almost certain about its life-extending effects in males. They saw the same pattern in each of the populations they studied, and this &#8220;makes our result more accurate and globally translated,&#8221; Atzmon said.
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/reverse-aging/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2015/10/reverseaging_home.jpg" alt="4 Scientifically Proven Ways to Help Reverse Aging" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/reverse-aging/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
Furthermore, they also discovered that those with two copies of the deletion tended to grow an inch taller than other men. The <a href="http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/49698/title/Mutation-Linked-to-Longer-Life-Span-in-Men/">researchers&#8217; theory</a> is that d3-GHR deletion increased the response of the receptor to growth hormone surges, particularly during puberty, causing the increased height. At the same time, however, the mutation could limit these growth spurts in adulthood. This would make the cells divide at a slower rate, causing aging to slow down.
Further studies are needed to better understand how this mutation works and why its longevity effects are only present in men. Although, there are also anti-aging treatments that <a href="https://futurism.com/new-anti-aging-technique-goes-to-clinical-trials/" target="_blank">work only for women</a>, so this is not the first evidence that aging pathways can be gender specific. For now, the researchers urge caution in growth hormone treatments to keep a youthful body, as these may trigger the opposite effect.

A team of geneticists discovered a growth hormone mutation which can increase the average lifespan of men by 10 years.

/Anti Aging Research

Hard Science

A Dutch Study Claims to Project the Maximum Human Lifespan

Health & Medicine

Scientists Successfully Slow Aging in Mice Using Stem Cells

Health & Medicine

A Genetic Mutation May Cause Men to Live An Extra 10 Years

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