People who live over 100 years have unique patterns, a new study suggests

People who live beyond 100 are, beyond a doubt, special, according to many researchers. Experts worldwide have been trying to understand if they carry something unique in their bodily makeup. Similarly, a team of researchers from Sweden has observed a unique pattern in such individuals. These patterns have been published in the journal eClinical Medicine. In the study, researchers observed a group of centenarians and concluded that these individuals are less likely to suffer from diseases, develop conditions slowly, and are also diagnosed with fewer fatal conditions than their counterparts.

Prior Study Based On The Same Topic

It was not the team's first study regarding centenarians. The first one, published in GeroScience, followed 170,787 people born in Stockholm County, Sweden, between 1912 and 1922. The team concentrated on the historical health data of these individuals for around 40 years, starting from the age of 60 until their death or until they reached the age of 100. They calculated everyone's likelihood of heart attack, stroke, hip fracture, and various cancers. The data of people who lived until 100 and their shorter-lived counterparts were contrasted.

The results indicated that centenarians not only exhibited lower rates of disease in their late midlife, but continued to display lower rates of disease throughout their lives, according to Science Alert. Among those who lived until 100, only 4% had experienced a stroke by the age of 85. While those who lived to ages 90–99, only 10% experienced a stroke by age 85. Among the people who had reached 100, only 12.5% had experienced a heart attack, compared to over 24% who lived until the ages of 80 and 89. The findings revealed that though centenarians lived longer, their lifetime risk of developing diseases was lower than that of their peers. They also seemed to avoid major age-related diseases, and most did not live with them even after crossing 100. 

Including More Diseases In The Examination

In the second study, the researchers decided to observe the development of 40 different medical conditions in their subjects. The conditions included hypertension, diabetes, and heart attack, among others. They were listed from mild to severe. They considered 274,108 participants for the examination. These subjects were born between 1920 and 1922 and resided in Sweden. They were followed for 30 years, from the age of 70 until their death, or until the age of 100. In the group, around 4,330 people completed a century. Even after including a wider range of diseases, the findings indicated the same implications as the previous study; diseases were less likely to facilitate, and even if they did, they developed slowly in centenarians. 

Another vital pattern was also noted, that centenarians developed conditions limited to a single organ system. It also means that they were diagnosed with less fatal diseases than their counterparts, as conditions limited to one organ system are easier to handle. The group also exhibited more resilience against neuropsychiatric conditions like depression and dementia. Though most centenarians developed serious health conditions, it happened much later in life compared to their peers, around the age of 85. It was possibly a result of the slow development of diseases. There was also no sharp decline in health in the later ages, as is typical for people in their 80s. 

Insights From The Examination

The revelation that centenarians slowly develop diseases showcases that it is indeed possible to delay ageing. However, the patterns reveal that the group is special. It is still a mystery how they become special. Researchers are unsure whether it is genetics, environment, or something else that allows this group to have these abilities. Experts are now looking forward to unlocking this mystery so more people can cross this benchmark.