Decades-Old Antidepressant Extends Lifespan in Mice
Graded Preliminary — experiments in mice and cells with control groups; whether results apply to people is unknown, and only male mice were used in the natural aging tests.
Animal study. Findings may not carry over to people, which is why the grade is capped at Preliminary.
- Design
- Animal study
- Participants
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- Duration
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- Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China; Natural Science Foundation of…
The antidepressant mianserin extended median lifespan by about 17 percent in normally aging male mice.
Mianserin has been used to treat depression for more than 50 years. In mice, the drug now extended life. In normally aging animals, median lifespan rose from 823 to 967 days, about 17 percent longer. In mice with a form of premature aging modelled on the rare genetic disease progeria, the gain was about 28 percent.
The researchers injected male mice with mianserin every other day, starting at 20 months of age. Comparison mice got salt water. At 24 months, treated mice had less curved spines, less bone loss in their legs and moved better. Cell experiments pointed to a possible reason. When the cell's calcium balance is disturbed, a protein called S100A6 builds up. It triggers the breakdown of an enzyme that repairs DNA. DNA damage and inflammatory signals follow. Mianserin lowered calcium inside cells by blocking docking sites for the messenger serotonin.
A double dose impaired movement in the progeria mice. The normally aging animals were all male. Whether mianserin affects aging in people was not tested.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.