Table 1.
Some conserved pathways and interventions of aging.
Fig 1.
Incidence of disparate pathological conditions all showing a strong correlation with advanced human age. Many of these same conditions are also seen in aged dogs.
Fig 2.
Environmental signals that modulate growth and reproduction also modulate aging.
Organisms have evolved to grow and reproduce rapidly when environmental conditions, including temperature, oxygen levels, and food availability, are within optimal ranges. When these parameters are suboptimal but not lethal, organisms tend to become stress resistant and, perhaps as a by-product, longer lived. Conserved sensory pathways mediate this relationship, although there is also evidence that signals from the germ line can affect stress resistance and longevity and vice versa.