Negligible senescence

Negligible senescence refers to the failure of a few select animals to display symptoms of aging. More specifically, negligibly senescent animals do not have measurable reductions in their reproductive capability with age, or measurable functional decline with age. Death rates in negligibly senescent animals do not increase with age as they do in senescent organisms. There are strong scientific grounds to state that humans of advanced ages ^[1] are also having negligible senescence phenomena.

Some fish, such as some varieties of sturgeon and rockfish, and some tortoises and turtles^[2] are thought to be negligibly senescent. The age of a captured fish specimen can be measured by examining growth patterns similar to tree rings on the otoliths (parts of motion-sensing organs).^[3]

Study of negligibly senescent animals may provide clues that lead to better understanding of the aging process^[4] and influence theories of aging. The phenomenon of negligible senescence in some animals is a traditional argument for attempting to achieve similar negligible senescence in humans by technological means.

Some examples of maximum observed life span of organisms thought to be negligibly senescent are:

• Rougheye rockfish (Sebastes aleutianus)—205 years^[5][6]
• Aldabra Giant Tortoise—255 years
• Lobsters are believed to live 100 or more years.^[7]
• Hydras are observed to be biologically immortal^[8]
• Sea anemones generally live up to 60–80 years^[9]
• Freshwater pearl mussel—210–250 years ^[10][11]
• Quahog clam—405 years ^[12]

See also

• Biological immortality
• Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence

References

1. ^ http://longevity-science.org/Mortality_Deceleration.html
2. ^ Miller, J. 2001. "Escaping senescence: demographic data from the three-toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)". Exp Gerontol 36(4-6):829-32.
3. ^ Bennett, J. 1882. "Confirmation on longevity in Sebastes diploproa (pisces Scorpaenidae) from 210Pb/226Ra measurements in otoliths". Maritime Biology 71:209-215.
4. ^ Guerin, J. 2004. Emerging area of aging research: long-lived animals with "negligible senescence". Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1019:518-20.
5. ^ Munk, K. 2001. Maximum Ages of Groundfishes in Waters off Alaska and British Columbia and Considerations of Age Determination. Alaska Fishery Research Bulletin 8:1.
6. ^ Cailliet, G.M., Andrews, A.H., Burton, E.J., Watters, D.L., Kline, D.E., Ferry-Graham, L.A. (2001). "Age determination and validation studies of marine fishes: do deep-dwellers live longer?". Exp. Gerontol. 36: 739–764.
7. ^ 140-year-old lobster's tale has a happy ending. 2009-01-10.
8. ^ Hydra senescence
9. ^ "Fact Files: Sea anemone". BBC Science and Nature. http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/blueplanet/factfiles/jellies/sea_anemone_bg.shtml. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
10. ^ Ziuganov, V., San Miguel, E., Neves, R.J., Longa, A., Fernandez, C., Amaro, R., Beletsky, V., Popkovitch, E., Kaliuzhin, S., Johnson, T. (2000). "Life span variation of the freshwater pearlshell: a model species for testing longevity mechanisms in animals.". pp. 102–105. doi:10.1579/0044-7447-29.2.102. http://pinnacle.allenpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1579/0044-7447-29.2.102. 
11. ^ Зюганов В.В. (2004). "Арктические долгоживущие и южные короткоживущие моллюски жемчужницы как модель для изучения основ долголетия.". Успехи геронтол. 14: 21–31. 
12. ^ http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/10/071029-oldest-clam.html