Genes Might Explain Hispanics' Added Longevity Essay

In this article, Dennis Thompson elaborates the possibility of gene connection to the long lifespan of Hispanics. He posits that Hispanics may possess a genetic advantage due to differences in 'genetic clock' thus they live longer compared to other ethnic groups. As such, the study uses a result of DNA analysis to exemplify the same.

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According to Horvath, a senior professor at Geffen School, Hispanics are more resilient to some natural disturbances which hinder the repair of tissues and cells growth as an individual grows older (Thompson, 2016). The Hispanic women's genetic age portrayed that they are two years four months younger than other women from different ethnical backgrounds of similar age.

The research outcomes facilitate an in-depth understanding of studies in regards to Hispanics in the US as compared to the lifespan of Asians, whites, blacks, and others. However, this remains quite intriguing since the Hispanics have reported higher rates of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes that ought to reduce their longevity. It is established that Hispanics averagely live three years longer than the whites. Irrespective of their ages, they have a 30% advantage over other ethnic groups regarding early mortality.

The lifespan of an individual is influenced by multiple factors among them being environmental characteristics and genetics regardless of ethnic group. The genetic clock utilizes assessment of DNA methylation since DNA sequence does not change in life even when one gets older (Thompson, 2016). As such, a comprehensive study of loss and gains during methylation can identify the natural rate of aging.

In this study, the analysis was conducted on 6000 participants with up to 18 cliques of information on DNA samples. The participants were drawn from different ethnic groups such as African Americans, Tsimane, Asians, Hispanics, and Caucasians. In respect to differences in cell composition, samples from Hispanic and Tsimane showed considerably slow aging. The clock also showed that Tsimane age slower than the Hispanics with two years gap while four years gap for the case of whites (Thompson, 2016). This research deduced that brain tissue in women age slower compared to the men who are in agreement that women tend to have a longer lifespan.

Tentatively, the biological clock can be essential for scholars if it can be proven to be accurate. It can be a significant breakthrough in molecular age estimation. It could progressively reduce the period it takes to conduct clinical trials for medications with the capability to slow aging. For example, using this method to reduce a study period to months instead of a matter of several years. However, it is not possible because aging is a process that has not been enumerated because of its complex characteristics (Thompson, 2016).

Conclusion

In the contemporary world, there are no specific biomarkers of aging which are universally acknowledged since some have been attempted before. Scholars who may seek to approve this approach should also attempt the test on lab animals which would broaden the scope to other elements which can influence aging. It is simply because lab animals can be put under comprehensive control with variations of factors to achieve a holistic study result.

Reference

Thompson, D. (2016). Genes might explain Hispanics' added longevity. Retrieved from https://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/race-health-news-570/genes-might-explain-hispanics-added-longevity-714044.html