Hibernation, Aging and Longevity

Natalia S. GavrilovaLeonid A. Gavrilov

Center on Aging, NORC/University of Chicago, 1155 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637

Study of Turkish hamsters, Science, 1981

Hibernation and longevity

a) Longevity of all hamsters in the study.

b) Longevity of the poor, moderate and good hibernators in the study

Hibernation correlates with longevity

r=0.522

p<0.001

Distribution of deaths in (a) control and (b) experimental hamsters

Number of deaths against age at death at intervals of 60 days for

a) control hamsters (mean = 812 days, median = 843 days)

b) experimental hamsters (mean = 914 days, median = 884 days)

Hibernation and Longevity in Bats

Hibernation and Longevity in Bat Species

(a) Average longevity for bat species that do and do not hibernate.

Numbers indicate sample size in each category.

(b) Average change in longevity between phylogenically independent comparisons in which hibernation was acquired.

Predictors of longevity in bats based on ANCOVA for species and bivariate analysis of contrasts

Hibernation is not continuous!

There are cycles of hibernation and short

awakening (every week in ground

squirrels)

You don't need to hibernate in order to delay aging:

Hibernation signals (darkness) may be sufficient!

Study of Siberian Hamster

Day length and reproductive success in females of Siberian hamsters

A) Reproductive success of long-day (LD), short-day (SD) and short-day pinealectomized (SD-PX) females expressed as the percentage of females mated at 9 mo of age that delivered live litters.

B) Mean + SEM live litter size at birth and weaning.

Short-day exposure and delaying reproductive senescence in females of Siberian hamster

Mean + SEM number of primordial follicles per ovary in SD and LD females at 13 and 26 wk of age. Asterisk (*) denotes significant effect of photoperiodic treatment at both ages

Growth curves for hamsters subjected to LD and SD exposure

Mean + SEM body mass (grams) of LD, SD, and SD-PX females from weaning at Postnatal Day 18 to 40 wk of age.

Conclusion:

Лампочка Ильича ускоряет старение!

Study of Black Bears

Black bear: active and hibernating

Hibernating Bears are Hot! Body temperature: 30 - 34 C

Reference:

Carey HV, Andrews MT, Martin SL.  Mammalian hibernation: cellular and molecular responses to depressed metabolism and low temperature. Physiol Rev. 2003 Oct;83(4):1153-81. Review. PMID: 14506303

Hibernating bears do not experience osteoporosis

What About Humans?

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