Posted on 05/29/2012 12:35:21 AM PDT by neverdem
"It's in their genes" is a common refrain from scientists when asked about factors that allow centenarians to reach age 100 and beyond. Up until now, research has focused on genetic variations that offer a physiological advantage such as high levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. But researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University have found that personality traits like being outgoing, optimistic, easygoing, and enjoying laughter as well as staying engaged in activities may also be part of the longevity genes mix.
The findings, published online May 21 in the journal Aging, come from Einstein's Longevity Genes Project, which includes over 500 Ashkenazi Jews over the age of 95, and 700 of their offspring. Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews were selected because they are genetically homogeneous, making it easier to spot genetic differences within the study population.
Previous studies have indicated that personality arises from underlying genetic mechanisms that may directly affect health. The present study of 243 of the centenarians (average age 97.6 years, 75 percent women) was aimed at detecting genetically-based personality characteristics by developing a brief measure (the Personality Outlook Profile Scale, or POPS) of personality in centenarians.
"When I started working with centenarians, I thought we'd find that they survived so long in part because they were mean and ornery," said Nir Barzilai, M.D., the Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Chair of Aging Research, director of Einstein's Institute for Aging Research and co-corresponding author of the study. "But when we assessed the personalities of these 243 centenarians, we found qualities that clearly reflect a positive attitude towards life. Most were outgoing, optimistic and easygoing. They considered laughter an important part of life and had a large social network. They expressed emotions openly rather than bottling them up." In...
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In my own experience, just about all the very old (80+) people I've come across are exactly the opposite: introverted, keep to themselves, have little to say about topical subjects but are content within themselves.
In my experience, sadly, most of the people that lived long, long, lives were some of the crabbiest, miserable, trouble-makers on earth. I assumed that they were so nasty, even God didn’t want them yet.
“..some of the crabbiest, miserable, trouble-makers on earth.”
You may have a point there, but you have to consider that living in pain for the last 20-30 years can make one a little less than friendly.
I thought we'd find that they survived so long.. because they were mean and ornery," said Nir Barzilai, M.D. "But when we assessed the personalities of these 243 centenarians, we found qualities that clearly reflect a positive attitude towards life.
Good point, but the people I am thinking of were not nice people all along. They caused a lot of misery in the lives of others.
Narcissists live forever.
My dad will be 100 next year, so this is interesting to me. He plays cards, goes to the dining room to eat, is always talking to his neighbors in the retirement home — in fact even tried to get a lawsuit going against the retirement home when the owners weren’t treating them right.
God bless him!
It turned out people with cancer saw the world more darkly BECAUSE they had cancer. Analysis of random citizens (accessed while healthy) showed no differences based on personality.
My wife has been an office nurse for a FP for over 30 years.
At the start of their practice, they “inherited” a sizeable cadre of older patients, age 60+ due to local mds retiring. That cadre in turn recommended their friends, relatives and people in their circles to the practice.
A large % were of Italian and Mediteranean heritage.
These patients had survived the great depression, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Carter years and were duing fine in the Cold War.
None of these patients were poor and a few were very well off. Most were well educated, many continued their formal and informal educations up to the end.
Besides their Mediteranean inherited genes, they had a sense of humor and belief in themselves. They traveled and many continued to run family businesses or work past so called normal retirement age.
Another group that lived a long time or are still alive are those whose ancestors came from the UK, Scotland and the western country areas of Britain and small towns SE of London.
Some are still alive after 30+ years.
My wife and the doctor noted that none smoked and if they did, it was a for short period. They were active but few if any ran and were regulars in gyms. They weren’t vegies and ate a rounded diet with an emphasis on what was in season.
My wife and the doctor decided beside their genes and positive outlook on life, a common thread was the core of these long living patients:
modus omnibus rebus optimus est habitu, moderation in all things is the best ...
They lived and many still live a full life with moderation in all things.
Siblings, who drank too much, smoked and had other risky behavior, seldom got past the age 50-60.
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