FOXO3, a Resilience Gene: Impact on Lifespan, Healthspan, and Deathspan

Donlon et al discuss the impact of FOXO3 gene on lifespan, healthspan, and deathspan. The gene FOXO3 is one of only two human genes that has shown consistent replication for association with longevity across multiple human populations. The other is, of course, the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE). These genes might be referred to as the "A list" since no other single gene comes close for relation to human longevity. But with the sheer number of ongoing genetic studies of human aging and longevity this is a rapidly moving target. The study by Margrett et al demonstrated that FOXO3 longevity allele carriers were more likely to maintain high cognitive function until death compared with non-carriers. This offers a glimmer of hope that FOXO3-related longer lifespan will be associated with a longer healthspan than deathspan.