April 10th, 2005
More On Centenarian Studies
The Cape Cod Times reports on centenarian studies and the genetics of natural longevity - something that scientists would like to understand and use as the basis for therapies. "Currently in the United States, about one person in 10,000 lives to be 100 ... Perls divides centenarians into three categories: 'delayers,' who have no age-related illnesses until their 80s; 'escapers,' who have no illnesses at 100; and 'survivors,' who had age-related illnesses prior to turning 80. About 15 percent of centenarians are 'escapers' and the remainder are almost evenly divided into 'delayers' and 'survivors.' ... About 90 percent of the centenarians were functionally independent at the average age of 92."