There is a country that does not appear on the classic“blue zone” maps (the areas of the world where people live longer than average), but it is becoming a reference point for those studying extreme aging. It is Brazil, where an astonishing number of people have passed the age of 110 and where scientific research is uncovering an unusual genetic makeup. It’s not just about record-breaking ages, but a set of biological characteristics that help understand how people can get very far ahead in years while maintaining a good quality of life.
Brazil is one of the most genetically diverse countries in the world. Centuries of interbreeding among indigenous, African, and European populations have created an enormous genetic diversity, some of which is still little explored by science. It is precisely this diversity that makes Brazilian supercentenarians particularly interesting: their DNA contains rare variants, often absent from large international databases, that could be linked to mechanisms of protection against age-related diseases.
What strikes the researchers is not just how long these people live, but how they live. Many Brazilian supercentenarians retain surprising mental clarity and a good level of autonomy, even in social and economic contexts that are far from privileged. In several cases, longevity seems to be concentrated within the same families, suggesting that the genetic factor has an important weight, while intertwined with sober lifestyles and strong social networks.
Biologically, the organisms of these centenarians show signs of remarkable resilience. The immune system, for example, appears more efficient than that of much younger people, while certain cellular processes related to the “maintenance” of the body remain active longer. It is as if aging, in these individuals, proceeds at a different, slower pace, capable of keeping episodes of inflammation and degeneration at bay.
Studying these men and women is about understanding how to age better. Information emerging from their genetic makeup could help identify new targets for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, offering potential benefits to the entire population. Indeed, longevity is not just a matter of years lived, but a balance between genetics, environment and the body’s ability to adapt. And in this balance, diversity can be a valuable resource.
