Centenarians An Example of Positive Biology
This state-of-the-art review on longevity focuses on centenarians, studied as a model of positive biology.The extraordinary rise in the elderly population in developed countries underscores the importance of studies on ageing and longevity in order to dec
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Centenarians
Calogero Caruso Editor
Centenarians An Example of Positive Biology
Editor Calogero Caruso Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics University of Palermo Palermo, Italy
ISBN 978-3-030-20761-8 ISBN 978-3-030-20762-5 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20762-5 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
People worldwide are living longer. At global level, the share of 80+ people rose from 0.6% in 1950 (15 million) to around 1.6% (110 million) in 2011, and it is expected to reach 4% (400 million) by 2050. The global population is projected to be 3.7 times bigger in 2050 than in 1950, but the number of 60+ people will increase by 10%, while the number of 80+ people will increase by 26%. The increase in lifespan does not coincide with the increase in health-span, i.e. the period of life free from serious chronic diseases and disability. Improving the quality of life of oldest is becoming a priority due to the continuous increase in the number of this population who is at risk of frailty. This makes the studies of the processes involved in longevity of great importance. Most biomedical researches are “negative biology”, because the study of the disease is its central heart, focusing on the causes of the diseases. On the contrary, a different approach is possible, called “positive biology”. Instead of placing diseases at the centre of research, positive biology searches, for understanding the causes of positive phenotypes, to explain the biological mechanisms of health and well-being. This means understanding why some individuals, namely the centenarians, have escaped neonatal mortality, i
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