Perspctivas da longevidade

Abstract

Modern medicine has greatly advanced in the last twenty years, and whether senescence as a biological process itself can be slowed, stopped or even reversed, has become the subject of scientific speculation and current research. There are several research groups in both public and private spheres trying to address these issues. Studies showed that stochastic DNA damage accumulates in the brain, muscle, liver, kidney, stem cells. The main source of DNA damage are reactive oxygen species produced as normal cellular metabolism byproducts which cause cellular changes to the body associated with aging and eventual death. Accumulated DNA damage is the most likely cause of the decline in gene expression and loss of functional capacity observed with increasing age. However, a calorie restricted diet in mammals is associated with a decrease in oxidative damage to DNA. Also DNA repair capacity is clearly correlated with longevity. The objective of this review is to present the current state of the science of longevity, in a theoretic, exploratory and descriptive character. The resulting social dimensions will be left to the reader