A Model for Healthy Aging: Moscow Centenarians (AGE-100)

The global average life expectancy and the average age of the population are growing steadily along with the age-related diseases. The same trend is also observed in our country. Although, maximum life span in Russia decreases. E.g., the number of centenarians in Moscow decreased by 244 persons from 2013 to 2014. There were about 400 centenarians in Moscow in 2014. That is about 3.3 per 100 000 population. In the US, this figure is about 10-20, and there are 50 centenarians per 100 000 population in the Okinawa region, Japan. The rate of ageing varies substantially, a prime example of this is the centenarians population. These people break conventional stereotypes about aging. Chronic diseases in centenarians are postponed. They are more active, they work longer, they can better tolerate stressful situations. Scientists all over the world are trying to find the secret of their longevity. Studies on the medical and social aspects of centenarian longevity are actively carried out in the US, Europe, Japan, Australia. In Russia studies were carried out in St. Petersburg, Western and Eastern Siberia. According to the New England Centenarian Study, the supercentenarians (persons who have lived more than 110 years) life span is actually equal to the healthy span without serious illnesses. The aim of research is to study features of social status, lifestyle, habits, clinical status, blood chemistry, the amount of progerin, genome, composition of the gut microbiota in Moscow centenarians in order to create a model of healthy aging. In this study a comprehensive analysis of the longevity phenomenon of one hundred centenarians from Moscow and the Moscow region planning to be conducted. Analyzing of anamnesis vitae, medical, social, neuro-cognitive, and genetic features is planning. Each study participant will undergo a comprehensive geriatric assessment, including examination by the neurologist, an assessment of cognitive status,psychogeriatric consultation with the assessment of self-perceptions of aging and depression assessment by using the geriatric depression scale, neuropsychological testing using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), verbal recognition memory 12 word test, clock-drawing test.Telomere length and progerin level in buffy coat layer evaluation, 16sRNA metagenome sequencing, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for qualitative and quantitative analysis of metabolites in blood serum, will be done in all participants. This study will take the science closer to the goal of identifying the patterns of "healthy" aging.