Researchers at Barcelona University have identified genetic traits that could contribute to advancements in anti-aging treatments.
Maria Branyas Morera, who lived to 117 and passed away in August 2024, followed a balanced diet, regularly ate three types of yogurt, and abstained from alcohol and smoking. Researchers found that her microbiome closely resembled that of children, and her unique genetic makeup may have lowered her biological age by approximately 17 years.
The daily newspaper Ara, which covers the Catalan region where she resided much of her life, first reported on the results of the study into what was described as Branyas’s “privileged genome. Manel Esteller, a genetics professor at the university reported that Branyas retained her lucidity until almost the very end of her life. His team also said that the ailments that she grappled with during her extended golden years were largely limited to joint pain and hearing loss.
Ara reported that Esteller’s work on Branyas amounts to the most complete research yet into a so-called supercentenarian – someone who is 110 or older – as well as some possible explanations for the longevity that marks some lives in particular.
The researchers noted how Branyas made a number of healthy lifestyle choices that also helped her take advantage of her unique genetic makeup. She adhered to a Mediterranean diet that included three yogurts daily.
Esteller highlighted that Morera’s exceptional genome likely played a key role in her longevity. “Her genetic profile appears to have provided her with extraordinary resistance to age-related diseases, which helped maintain her overall health for more than a century”
However, she also avoided drinking alcohol and smoking, enjoyed walks, and constantly surrounded herself with family and loved ones, all of which apparently aided her in staving off declines, both physical and mental, that could have shortened her life, the researchers added.
Her daughter, Rosa Moret, noted that she rarely experienced illness, with only minor issues such as hearing and memory loss emerging in her later years.
Researchers also found that Morera exhibited strong health markers, including balanced cholesterol, stable blood sugar levels, and a well-regulated immune system, factors that may have contributed to her extended lifespan.
Following Morera’s death, Tomiko Itooka briefly held the title of the world’s oldest person before passing away in December 2024. The title now belongs to Brazilian nun Canabarro Lucas, 116.