Lemurs reveal surprising new clues about healthy aging

Most people think aging always brings health problems. Inflammation seems like a part of getting older. It slowly builds up, leading to serious diseases.

Doctors call this slow-burning process “inflammaging.” But not everyone is sure that this process is unavoidable. Some scientists are starting to ask new questions. Does every species experience inflammaging? Is it something we can avoid?

Elaine Guevara from Duke University studies primates, a group that includes both lemurs and humans. Her work focuses on aging and how it works in different species.

Recently, Guevara began looking at lemurs for answers. These animals may look far removed from humans, but their biology has much to teach us. In fact, her latest research suggests that inflammation during aging may not be as inevitable as people believe.

Lemurs challenge our view of aging

Guevara’s study was focused on two species: the ring-tailed lemur and the sifaka lemur. These species have many similarities but also some key differences. They have different lifespans and distinct life patterns, which makes them perfect for comparison.

Lemurs share an ancient ancestor with humans. This connection makes them valuable for studying human biology. Scientists often use primates to answer tricky questions about human health.

Guevara wanted to see if lemurs show signs of inflammaging as they grow older. The idea was simple. If inflammation rises in both humans and lemurs, it might be a natural part of aging for all primates. But the results took everyone by surprise.

Lemurs aged without more inflammation

The team expected to see clear signs of inflammaging in lemurs. This would have matched patterns seen in humans. But that is not what happened.

“Contrary to our predictions, neither species showed age-related change in either marker of oxidative stress,” said Guevara.

“Neither lemur species exhibited age-related change in inflammation; if anything, contrary to our prediction, ring-tailed lemurs showed marginal declines in inflammation with age.”

The findings challenge what many people think about aging. If lemurs do not show inflammaging, maybe it is not something all species must face.

Is inflammaging really unavoidable?

Lemurs are not alone in this unexpected pattern. Researchers have seen similar results in other primate species. Christine Drea, a scientist involved in the lemur study, explained the bigger picture.

According to Drea, the research suggests inflammaging is not universal across primates. If that is true, it raises an important question. Could some humans also avoid inflammaging?

The idea turns traditional thinking about aging upside down. Many believed inflammaging was simply part of life, but the study shows it might not be that simple.

Scientists are now looking at aging in a whole new way. They are asking if the right conditions might prevent or delay inflammation in humans too.

Inflammaging causes health issues

Inflammaging sounds like a problem only scientists worry about, but it affects millions of people. As people age, their bodies often enter a state of low-level inflammation. This quiet process can cause serious harm over time.

Inflammaging connects to many common diseases. These include heart problems, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and arthritis.

Doctors and researchers are working hard to find solutions. If they can understand why inflammaging happens, they may find ways to stop it.

The lemur study offers new hope. It suggests that inflammaging is not locked into our biology. That alone is an exciting discovery.

The challenge of studying lemurs

Studying aging in lemurs is not easy. The animals cannot explain their health. Researchers had to come up with a safe way to collect data.

“Our role at the beginning was planning, designing, brainstorming, comparing and getting these samples,” said Drea.

The team collected urine samples from the lemurs. This method allowed them to study oxidative stress and inflammation without harming the animals.

The research was conducted at the Duke Lemur Center. This facility only allows non-invasive studies. The lemurs remained unharmed throughout the entire project.

Future research on lemurs and aging

Guevara now wants to expand her research. Her next focus will be wild lemurs living in their natural environment.

“There are a lot of good reasons to think that aging can be quite different in captivity and in the wild, and that in itself, is informative to evaluating the degree to which human inflammation is intrinsic versus environmental,” she said.

Wild lemurs face many challenges that captive lemurs do not. Their diet, stress, and activity levels all vary.

By studying lemurs, scientists can learn whether environment shapes aging. The ongoing research could reveal even more about human aging.

Lemurs offer new aging insights

People around the world are living longer. However, many of those extra years come with health issues. Inflammaging is a major reason for this.

Guevara believes her work is an important first step toward finding new solutions. “These insights are essential for mitigating disability and improving quality of life in later years.”

This study shows that aging does not look the same in every species. Lemurs have shown a very different path. They age without the same inflammation humans often face.

Researchers now have a fresh question to explore. Can humans also avoid inflammaging? The answer could change how we think about growing older. It could shift how we approach health care for aging populations.

Lemurs may not have provided all the answers yet, but they have certainly started an important conversation.

The study is published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology B.

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