Mifepristone is known to slow aging in flies. While mifepristone is not a drug that one should take to slow aging, as it has complex, sizeable effects on hormone levels that would tend to outweigh any benefits obtained, it is interesting to see that it has some of the same effects as rapamycin on life span and aspects of autophagy. Autophagy recycles damaged cell structures, and improved autophagy is a feature of many of the interventions known to slow aging in short-lived laboratory species, such as the flies used in this study. The researchers focused on measuring autophagy targeting mitochondria, known as mitophagy. Give…
Mifepristone Triggers Some of the Same Benefits as Rapamycin
Mifepristone is known to slow aging in flies. While mifepristone is not a drug that one should take to slow aging, as it has complex, sizeable effects on hormone levels that would tend to outweigh any benefits obtained, it is interesting to see that it has some of the same effects as rapamycin on life span and aspects of autophagy. Autophagy recycles damaged cell structures, and improved autophagy is a feature of many of the interventions known to slow aging in short-lived laboratory species, such as the flies used in this study. The researchers focused on measuring autophagy targeting mitochondria, known as mitophagy. Give…