The analytical article states that global genetic databases almost do not take into account mixed (admixture) populations. Namely, they may harbor rare protective genetic variants associated with exceptional longevity.
Brazil is a unique example of such a population. Over five centuries, the country has been formed from a complex mix of indigenous peoples, descendants of European colonialists, millions of enslaved Africans, as well as waves of Japanese and European immigration. The result is, according to the authors, one of the richest genetic diversity in the world.
Earlier, a genomic study of more than a thousand Brazilians over the age of 60 revealed about two million previously unknown genetic variants. More recent work has revealed over eight million new variations, including tens of thousands of potentially functionally significant ones. All this makes the country a unique genetic laboratory for studying aging.
The cohort of centenarians gathered by the team is of particular value. There are more than 160 people over the age of 100, including 20 confirmed super—long-lived people living in different regions of Brazil and who grew up in completely different social and environmental conditions. Among them was the nun Ina Canabarru Lucas, who was recognized as the oldest person in the world until her death at the age of 116 in the spring of 2025.
It is noteworthy that some participants remained lucid and independent in their daily lives even at an extremely old age. Many of them have lived most of their lives without access to modern medicine, which makes it possible to study the mechanisms of body resistance that are not related to pharmacological interventions.
Researchers have also documented rare family clusters of longevity. In one case, a 110-year—old woman had nieces aged 100, 104, and 106, one of the longest-lived sibling clusters ever described in Brazil. Such examples confirm that the brothers and sisters of centenarians are much more likely to reach an extreme age than the general population.
Modern molecular studies show that super-long-lived people are biologically different from ordinary elderly people. Their immune cells retain the activity characteristic of a younger age, the systems for recycling damaged proteins work efficiently, and autophagy remains functional. Analysis at the level of individual cells reveals unusual immune profiles that are practically absent in young people.
The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic aroused particular interest. Several Brazilian supercentenarians became infected in 2020, even before vaccines were available. At the same time, they developed a full-fledged immune response, including neutralizing antibodies.
Brazil also holds a special place in the global longevity statistics. Three of the ten longest—lived confirmed men in history are Brazilians, including the oldest living man. This is especially noteworthy because extreme longevity is much less common among men than among women.
In the future, the research team plans in-depth multiomic analyses, the creation of cell lines and a detailed study of the immunological characteristics of centenarians. The scientists say their goal is not just to confirm the data obtained in other countries, but to identify new, previously unknown protective mechanisms related to Brazil’s genetic diversity.
The authors urge international scientific consortia to expand longevity research beyond genetically homogeneous populations. In their opinion, without the inclusion of countries such as Brazil, the understanding of the mechanisms of extreme longevity will remain incomplete.
The study of super-long-livers can change the approach not only to prolonging life, but also to maintaining health and quality of life in old age.