The heritability of lifespan is estimated to be less than 10%, meaning the majority of variation in lifespan is attributable due to differences in environment rather than genetic variation. However, researchers have identified regions of the genome which can influence the length of life and the number of years lived in good health. For example, a genome-wide association study of 1 million lifespans found 12 genetic loci which influenced lifespan by modifying susceptibility to cardiovascular and smoking-related disease. The locus with the largest effect is APOE. Carriers of the APOE ε4 allele live approximately one year less than average (per copy of the ε4 allele), mainly due to increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
the heritability of lifespan is estimated to be less than 10% meaning the majority of variation in lifespan is attributable due to differences in environment rather than genetic variation however researchers have identified regions of the genome which can influence the length of life and the number of years lived in good health for example a genome-wide association study of 1 million lifespans found 12 genetic loci which influenced lifespan by modifying susceptibility to cardiovascular and smoking-related disease the locus with the largest effect is apoe carriers of the apoe ε4 allele live approximately one year less than average (per copy of the ε4 allele) mainly due to increased risk of alzheimer's disease