Life expectancy depends on the brain

American scientists from Vanderbilt University gave a new answer to the question about what determines the duration of human life. The chances of the longevity connected with peculiarities of the brain, experts found.

Whether life expectancy is high, depending on the number of neurons in the cerebral cortex of the brain, is the conclusion of researchers in a press release on MedicalXpress.

“The number of cortical neurons can accurately predict the life expectancy in 75% of cases,” said the authors of the work.
Scientists analyzed data on more than 700 species of warm-blooded animals: experts were interested in the number of neurons in their brain. Researchers have discovered that some parrots and songbirds live longer than other primates. In turn, a long life in primates can be more than other mammals with the same body weight.

Until now it was believed that the main factors for high life expectancy in nature are the body mass and metabolic rate. But the authors of this study stated: it is true only in 20-30% of cases. Basically, life expectancy is affected by the concentration of neurons in the cerebral cortex, they are convinced.

“Life expectancy is directly dependent on the absolute number of cortical neurons. It is the cerebral cortex plays a key role in adaptation to environment and stress response,” explained scientists.
Earlier Magicforum wrote about the fact that brain size affects the propensity of people to cancer.