Living past 110 sounds almost mythical, yet a small number of people reach that age while remaining mentally sharp and surprisingly independent.
Scientists call them supercentenarians, and they offer rare clues about how the human body can resist aging far longer than expected.
Much of what researchers know about extreme longevity comes from studies in Europe and North America.
That narrow focus leaves major blind spots, especially when it comes to how genetics, immunity, and resilience interact across different ancestries.
A new article highlights why Brazil may hold some of the most important answers. With one of the world's most genetically admixed populations, Brazil offers a natural experiment in human diversity.
Studying Brazilian supercentenarians could reveal protective biological traits that remain invisible in more genetically uniform groups – and reshape how scientists think about aging, health span, and resilience itself.
A missing piece in aging
Most genomic databases lack strong representation from admixed populations. This absence limits discovery of protective variants linked to long life.
Researchers point out that admixed supercentenarians may carry unique variants invisible in homogeneous datasets. Research from Brazil directly addresses that problem.
Brazil developed unmatched genetic diversity through centuries of migration. Portuguese colonization began in 1500. Millions of enslaved Africans arrived between the 17th and 19th centuries. Later immigration from Europe and Japan added further diversity.
Studies of older Brazilians uncovered millions of previously unknown genetic variants. Many variants appear in immune-related regions such as HLA genes, which shape immune responses.
Such findings suggest Brazilian genomes hold clues essential for understanding resilience against disease and aging.
Studying Brazil's oldest adults
Researchers from the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center at the University of São Paulo assembled a nationwide cohort of over 100 centenarians, including 20 validated supercentenarians.
Participants come from diverse regions with varied social and environmental backgrounds. Several individuals remained lucid and independent during initial contact, even at ages above 110.
One participant gained global recognition. Sister Inah, born in 1908, held the title of world's oldest living person until death in April 2025 at age 116.
The cohort also included the two oldest living men in the world, one reaching age 112 and another living at age 113.
Many participants lived without consistent access to modern healthcare, offering a chance to study biological resilience beyond medical intervention.
Longevity runs in families
Extreme longevity often clusters within families. One remarkable case involved a woman aged 109 whose nieces reached ages 100, 104, and 106.
Such a family ranks among the longest-lived ever documented in Brazil. Prior research shows siblings of centenarians carry a far higher chance of reaching similar ages.
“Investigating such rare familial clusters offers a rare window into the polygenic inheritance of resilience and may help disentangle the genetic and epigenetic contributions to extreme longevity,” said study lead author Dr. Mateus Vidigal de Castro from the University of São Paulo.
Such families allow researchers to explore how multiple genes work together to support long life rather than relying on a single genetic factor.
How supercentenarians resist aging
Supercentenarians show striking biological features. Immune cells maintain strong proteasomal activity, allowing efficient breakdown of damaged proteins.
Autophagy, a cellular recycling process, remains active and upregulated. Efficient protein clearance protects cells from toxic buildup linked to aging.
Immune aging in supercentenarians does not follow a simple decline model. Research shows increased numbers of specialized T cells and natural killer cells. Single-cell studies reveal expansion of cytotoxic CD4+ T cells that behave like CD8 cells.
Younger adults rarely display such immune profiles. Such patterns suggest adaptation rather than deterioration, supporting effective immune surveillance late in life.
Genes protect aging bodies
The analysis of an American-Spanish supercentenarian aged 116 identified rare variants in immune genes including HLA-DQB1, HLA-DRB5, and IL7R.
Such genes influence antigen presentation, immune tolerance, and T cell maintenance. Variation in IL7R links to preservation of a functional naïve T cell pool and lower inflammation.
Additional rare variants appeared in genes linked to autophagy, mitochondrial function, chromatin remodeling, and DNA repair. Genes such as ATG2A, NDUFA9, COX7A2, ATM, and BRCA1 support cellular quality control and genomic stability.
Together, such systems maintain internal balance and delay age-related decline. Brazilian genomic studies reveal similar rare variants, reinforcing the idea that genetic resilience underlies extreme longevity.
Surviving COVID at 110
A striking example of resilience emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three Brazilian supercentenarians survived infection in 2020 before vaccines became available.
Blood analysis revealed strong IgG and neutralizing antibodies against SARS CoV-2. Plasma markers linked to innate immunity and host defense also remained robust.
Effective immune responses at such advanced ages challenge common assumptions about immune failure in old age.
Preserved immune cell function combined with stable protein maintenance systems likely supported survival against a novel virus.
Brazil reshapes longevity research
Brazil holds a unique place in global longevity records. Three of the ten longest-lived validated male supercentenarians come from Brazil, including the oldest living man born in October 1912.
Female Brazilian supercentenarians also rank high among the longest lived worldwide.
Ongoing research extends beyond genome sequencing. Scientists derive cellular lineages for functional assays and multi-omics analysis.
International longevity and genomics consortia should broaden recruitment to include ancestrally diverse and admixed populations, such as those in Brazil.
They can also advance equity in global health research by providing financial support for genomic, immunological, and long-term studies that deepen scientific understanding across underrepresented groups.
Brazilian supercentenarians offer more than long life stories. Their lives reveal resistance, adaptability, and resilience that may guide future efforts to improve health span for aging populations worldwide .
The study is published in the journal Genomic Psychiatry.