Contrary to conventional wisdom, longevity is directly related with the number of neurons in the brain.
It has long been thought that the maximum longevity of mammals is proportional to body mass. A recent study using a dataset of over 700 species including humans, shows that longevity is actually closely related to the number of brain neurons (1).
It seems that the longer it takes for the brain to mature, the longer the longevity.
These results put the brain at the centre of concerns for longevity and well-being throughout life.
Knowing that we are beginning to control brain aging, thanks in particular to the plasticity of the brain that makes its shaping possible, this discovery points to infinite hopes for anti-aging medicine.
(1): Suzana Herculano‐Houzel. Longevity and sexual maturity vary across species with number of cortical neurons, and humans are no exception. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, October 2018
