A STUDY has revealed that an antidepressant drug has the ability to increase lifespan by almost a third in worms and could also have similar effects in humans.
US researchers exposed nematode worms to 88,000 chemicals in turn and Mianserin extended lifespan by almost a third. The drug appears to mimic the effects on the body of virtual starvation but it is not yet fully understood why depriving the body of all but the minimum amount of calories needed to survive seems to enhance longevity.
Experts said the findings could pinpoint human genes that could be targeted to increase lifespan.
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