Academy

Mouse Lifespan Studies in Longevity Research

Mouse lifespan studies are experiments that follow laboratory mice from early adulthood to natural death under controlled conditions. These studies track survival data and health metrics to understand aging biology and evaluate interventions aimed at extending lifespan and healthspan. In longevity research, mice serve as a practical model due to their genetic tractability, short lifespans, and well-characterized physiology.

Why Use Mice?

Mice are one of the most commonly used organisms in aging science because:

• Genetic similarity: Mice share over 95% of their genes with humans, allowing translational insights.
• Short lifespan: Typical laboratory mice live 2–3 years, enabling rapid assessment of interventions.
• Controlled environment: Researchers can standardize diet, housing, and microbial exposure to reduce variability.

Standardized Protocols for Mouse Lifespan Studies

Creating a standardized framework involves harmonizing several elements:

1. Cohort size and genetics: Use genetically defined mouse strains with sufficient numbers (e.g., 50 per group) to ensure statistical power.
2. Dosing regimen: Administer compounds at defined concentrations and intervals, often integrated with IND-enabling toxicology schedules.
3. Environmental controls: Maintain consistent temperature, light–dark cycles, and pathogen barrier to reduce external influences.
4. Endpoints: Record age at natural death, body weight, metabolic markers, and functional assays (e.g., grip strength, cognitive tests).

Key Metrics and Outcomes

Researchers evaluate:

• Median and maximum lifespan: Indicators of overall survival extension.
• Healthspan measures: Functional performance, disease incidence, and biomarker changes.
• Adverse events: Toxicity or off-target effects observed during chronic dosing.

Applications in Drug Development

By integrating lifespan studies into IND-enabling programs, drug developers can:

• Detect geroprotective effects before clinical trials.
• Identify long-term safety risks that conventional toxicology might miss.
• Optimize candidate selection and de-risk large investments in human testing.

Challenges and Considerations

Executing lifespan studies requires significant time and resources. Key challenges include maintaining large mouse colonies for years, ensuring consistent husbandry, and interpreting complex survival data. Standardization across laboratories is critical to compare results and build consensus on effective longevity interventions.