Longevity, Aging And Rapamycin

Research Summary

A review of what pharmacological or genetic inhibition of mTOR does to mammalian ageing and longevity.

Who Or What Was Studied?

Mammalian studies of rapamycin and other mTOR inhibitors, alongside genetic models of mTOR inhibition.

What Did The Research Show?

• Rapamycin was the first compound shown to extend maximal lifespan in both sexes of a mammalian species, and it was already approved for other uses.
• The authors conclude the evidence best fits a model in which rapamycin extends lifespan mainly by suppressing cancers — the leading cause of death in many mouse strains.
• The drug also has symptomatic effects on some ageing traits, such as age-related cognitive impairment.

Limitations And Interpretation

• The paper reviews animal work; it does not demonstrate that rapamycin slows ageing in humans.
• The cancer-suppression reading is presented as the best current fit rather than a settled conclusion.