The article I found is actually referring to a radio program but I thought it was pretty interesting none-the-less. (http://www.dnafiles.org/programs/genetics-aging-longevity)
What originally caught my attention in this article was the statement that the only "proven" way to ward off age-related diseases is calorie restriction. This point was also made by our guest speaker, Dr. Bronikowski. However the author admits that this approach to avoiding aging simply isn't feasible for humans, which I completely agree with. That being said, I did find it interesting to learn that there is a "longevity" gene that has been found in various test subjects. This gene is believed to be located within the human DNA as well and if located, could be used to "cure" or slow the affects of aging.
I think it is fascinating to know that specific genes could be the key to understanding aging in humans. I don't know that genetic therapy is the answer however, and it scares me a bit to think that one day humans could be immortal to a certain extent. I personally prefer to believe other environmental effects and actions could help to slow the effects of human aging.
Thanks for sharing! Yes, aging can be related to many different subject areas. I am trying to find some more information on caloric restriction so we can talk about it in a future class- a lot of people seem to have come up with that idea in their own articles.
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