"During her final year she died on 19 August 2024 she was verified as the oldest living person, a feat that drew the attention of researchers who explore the biology of ageing. We wanted to learn from her particular case to benefit other people, says Manel Esteller, a physician specializing in genetics at the University of Barcelona in Spain. At the time, Branyas was living in the small town of Olot, in the Catalonia region of Spain, where she enjoyed reading books, playing with dogs"
"The researchers compared Branyas's genetic, metabolomic and other profiles with those of women of various ages living in the same region. One of the main insights from the work, Esteller says, is that it is possible to distinguish molecular changes that happen in the body because of ageing from those that occur because of poor health. For instance, the research team learnt that Branyas's telomeres the stretches of repetitive DNA that protect the ends of chromosomes were exceptionally short."
Maria Branyas Morera lived to 117 and died on 19 August 2024 while verified as the oldest living person. Scientists collected blood, saliva, urine and stool samples to characterize genetics, metabolism and gut microbiome. Analyses showed some advantageous genetic factors and exceptionally short telomeres, reflecting long-term cellular ageing. Comparisons with women of different ages in the same region enabled separation of molecular changes due to ageing from changes caused by poor health. Daily dietary habits included yogurt consumption and an active social life with reading, dog play and family interactions, including two daughters in their 90s.
Read at www.nature.com
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