Geroscience as the new tool in the fight against chronic diseases

Authors

• L Ferrucci
• F Sierra

Abstract

This new approach to aging is the focus of Geroscience, a new scientific initiative that attempts to understand the biological mechanism by which the aging process affects human health. A great deal of work still needs to be done to bring this attractive idea to fruition. Work conducted mostly on model organisms has pointed to several mechanisms as putative biological movers of aging. These include inter-cellular communication, genomic instability and repair capacity, proteostasis, mitochondrial function, deficits in autophagy, cell senescence, dysregulated inflammation and accelerated epigenetic drift just to mention a few. We currently do not have the technology to fully assess these mechanisms in humans but, at least in principle, we should be able to develop such technology soon. The large investment required is justified by the expectation that these studies will generate knowledge that will be translated into considerable improvement of health in the population, postponement of disability onset and highly needed relief from the burden on health care expenditure that the aging population is imposing around the world.

This page was last updated on Friday, March 26, 2021