Longevity vs. Healthy Longevity: Different Outcomes Underlain by Different Mechanisms

Most genomic studies compare the genomes of long-living adults to those of the general population to identify potential genetic markers of longevity. We propose a refined approach: focusing on the genetic makeup of healthy, long-living adults to detect mechanisms promoting both longer lifespan and improved quality of life. To this end, we analyzed medical and genomic data from 3,703 long-living adults aged ≥90 years and 22,354 individuals aged 18-75 years (total N = 26,057). Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and a genome-wide association study (GWAS), we found that variants with significant and negative associations with longevity in the GWAS were located in genes such as APOE, APOC1, and CFAP46, which are implicated in an increased risk of age-related diseases. However, the presence or absence of these variants should not be considered a definitive determinant of longevity or sustained health after the age of 90. We found that healthy longevity was positively associated with variants within the MYO18B, TBC1D28, and LOC105376454 genes. To demonstrate the multifactorial nature of the examined phenotypes, we constructed polygenic score models that accounted for nonlinear interactions among the predictors. Trial registration: Clinical Trials NCT06268132 (for long-living adults). Registered 22 February 2024 (retrospectively registered).