Integrating Perspectives on Aging: From Mechanistic Causes to Therapeutic Interventions.

Abstract

Aging poses one of the most urgent biomedical challenges of the 21st century, increasing vulnerability to chronic diseases and limiting healthspan in aging populations. Recent advances in aging research are transforming our understanding of aging from an inevitable decline to a multidimensional and potentially modifiable biological process. This special issue presents five invited reviews that collectively illustrate the recent progress in aging research. These articles introduce emerging concepts that shed light on the fundamental causes of aging, including the genetic architecture underlying human aging, senescence-driven fibrotic scarring arising from imperfect tissue repair, and the progressive erosion of epigenetic information in the brain. They further highlight promising avenues for intervention-such as epigenetic rejuvenation, the bidirectional interplay between the aging gut microbiome and host physiology, and the emergence of precision geronutrition. By integrating genetic, molecular, cellular, microbial, and nutritional perspectives, this collection emphasizes a future where extending human healthspan is both realistic and scientifically attainable.