Scientists Make Breakthrough by Extending Mice Lifespan by 73% with New Treatment
Recent research conducted by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, has unveiled a promising new approach to understanding aging mechanisms and potentially slowing down the aging process.
They employed an innovative treatment that simultaneously targets two major aging pathways, successfully extending the lifespan of mice by an astonishing 73%.
Notably, this effect was observed exclusively in male mice, indicating possible differences in aging mechanisms between genders, though these reasons remain poorly understood.
The therapy combined two distinct methods: the first involves oxytocin — a natural hormone known for its roles in social bonding and tissue regeneration — and the second uses an Alk5 inhibitor, which affects the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) pathway, known to become hyperactive with age, damage tissues, and promote chronic inflammation.
According to researchers, this combined therapy increased median lifespan in old male mice by 14% and improved physical performance, blood protein levels, and short-term memory, suggesting a partial reversal of age-related decline.
Interestingly, the same treatment did not yield such benefits in young mice, highlighting the need for further studies to understand this age- and gender-specific response.
Scientists note that sex-based differences in therapy outcomes remain a mystery, possibly linked to reproductive biology, as the treatment in females restored fertility.
These findings open intriguing questions about the potential application of such approaches in humans, which require extensive investigation.
Separately, studies on naked mole rats, which can live up to 37 years—ten times longer than similar-sized rodents—further fuel hopes for unlocking biological secrets of longevity.