Opportunity Living Up to 100 Years Could Viewed from DNA tests

Secrets of longevity is still the obsession of the investigators. Life reaches the age of 100 years is considered as an extraordinary achievement. In his effort, the researchers managed to find a way to predict whether someone will reach the age of 100 years or not.

Researchers were able to predict those who reach the age of 100 years with a DNA test or study the genetic signs. Prediction accuracy by DNA testing to achieve 77 percent accuracy.

"The figure of 77 percent is a very high accuracy for a genetic model. But 23% also showed an error rate is still much to be discovered," said the researcher, Paola Sebastiani from Boston University in Massachusetts as reported by FoxNews on Monday (1/23/2012).

This study could also show who is more susceptible to certain diseases and can guide appropriate therapy for patients.

The accuracy of the test increases with age. That is, the older the person undergoing the test, the results of the calculation to see how long until the age will be more reliable. Because people who reach 100 years of age generally do not have a disease associated with old age until reaching the mid 90s.

Scientists hope to isolate this genetic trait may help find new treatments to tackle diseases such as dementia and heart failure.

"Further study of these genetic characteristics may produce a better understanding of the genetic and biological mechanisms associated with aging and disease survival is longer," said co-researcher, Dr.Thomas Perls.

For the moment, research that began in 1995 is focused on Caucasians. But the researchers also plan to extend it to other groups, like the Japanese, who have a large number of elderly.

Previous research in the United States has found that about 85% of people who live to reach age 100 years were women and 15% were male.

"Men tend to be more susceptible to age-related diseases" says Perls.

The findings, published in the journal PLoS ONE this for a while shows that genetics plays a greater role in determining longevity, more than previously estimated.

For the study, researchers analyzed the genes of 1055 Caucasian man who was born in 1890 to 1910 and compares with 1267 people who were born later.

But researchers also saw a healthy aging was still influenced by lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise habits.

DNA or Nucleic Acid Deoxyribo a nucleic acid that stores all information about genetics. DNA is what determines the type of hair, skin color and specific qualities of the man.

The method used in DNA testing is to identify fragments of DNA itself. Or is simply the method to identify, collect and inventory the files of characters typical of the body.

Inside the cell nucleus, the DNA strands to form a unity called chromosomes. Each normal human cell has 46 chromosomes consisting of 22 pairs of somatic chromosomes and 1 pair of sex chromosomes (XX or XY).

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