Lemurs challenge the hypothesis of human aging in surprising research

Ring-tailed lemurs and Sifakas may be key to understanding why humans suffer from age-related inflammation – by showing us that it doesn’t have to happen at all.

Duke University researchers found that these primates avoid the chronic low-grade inflammation that plagues older humans and cause heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

These findings become traditional wisdom about the aging of primates. “In contrast to our predictions, both species exhibit age-related changes,” said Elaine Guevara, a biological anthropologist who led the study. As we age, the more striking ring-tailed lemurs actually showed a decrease in inflammation, contrary to what happens in humans.

Two different strategies

Guevara’s team compared biomarkers in urine samples from 41 ring-tailed lemurs from the Duke Lemur Center and 49 Coquerel’s Sifakas. The species became an ideal theme because they share evolutionary history with humans but live at different paces. Ringtail lemurs compete with faster reproduction and shorter lifespan, while Sifakas adopts slow lanes with slow development and longer lifespan.

The data reveals fascinating differences. The DNA damage level of ring-tailed lemurs was significantly higher than that of Sifakas, with creatinine per mg of 18.6 vs. 80 nm plots. This is consistent with their faster life span, suggesting that they preferentially over reproduction rather than cell maintenance. However, both species have experienced the spread of inflammation, which is a characteristic of human aging.

Key findings in challenging human aging models

• Lemur species all show increased oxidative stress with age
• As we age, ring-tailed lemurs actually become less inflamed
• DNA damage levels vary between species but remain stable in each era
• The results contradict the hypothesis that inflammation between primates is a common hypothesis

Christine Drea, a professor of evolutionary anthropology who participated in the study, noted that these results are consistent with the latest research on other non-human primates. This pattern suggests that even in humans, inflammation may not be an inevitable result of aging. “Study shows that inflammation is not a common feature of primates,” she explained.

From captivity to wild effects

This study requires careful approaches to avoid damaging animals. Drea has worked with the Duke Lemur Center since 1999, and he said the team spent a lot of time “planning, designing, brainstorming, comparing and obtaining these samples” instead of drawing blood from urine.

An interesting detail not highlighted in the press release in the comprehensive study: Sifakas actually showed slightly higher overall levels of inflammation, which may reflect the health challenges the species faced in captivity. This observation suggests environmental factors that may affect the aging process.

Guevara plans to expand the study to wild lemur populations next. “There are many good reasons to believe that captivity and aging in the wild can be very different,” she said. Research such as this could help determine whether human inflammation is caused by an inherent biological process or environmental stressor.

Clinical potential

These implications go beyond academic curiosity. As the global population ages rapidly, understanding why some primates avoid inflammation can inform human health strategies. The study may reveal targets for preventing or treating age-related diseases that affect millions of people.

Guevara believes that the work is “the first step to uncover why humans suffer from inflammation-related and age-related conditions and find a treatment.” She added that with the rapid aging of the global population, “these insights are crucial to alleviating disability and improving later quality of life.”

The study, published in the Journal of Comparative Physiology, adds to growing evidence that changes in the aging process are larger than previously thought in primate species. For humans, lemur data suggest that chronic inflammation may be preventable, not inevitable, and this possibility could reshape ways to healthy aging.

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