Extending healthy life span--from yeast to humans

Fontana L, Partridge L, Longo VD · 2010 · Science · Atlas ID FON2010

What this study shows

Influential review proposing that dietary restriction and reduced nutrient-sensing signalling (mTOR, GH/IGF-1) may slow ageing through similar, evolutionarily conserved mechanisms. Lifespan extension is shown in yeast, invertebrates, rodents and rhesus monkeys; in humans the evidence is limited to protective biomarker changes and genetic associations.

Abstract

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When the food intake of organisms such as yeast and rodents is reduced (dietary restriction), they live longer than organisms fed a normal diet. A similar effect is seen when the activity of nutrient-sensing pathways is reduced by mutations or chemical inhibitors. In rodents, both dietary restriction and decreased nutrient-sensing pathway activity can lower the incidence of age-related loss of function and disease, including tumors and neurodegeneration.

Read the full abstract on PubMed →

At a glance

Evidence type	R Review — secondary literature, not a new result Marked R because it is a review or synthesis of existing evidence rather than a new primary result; that is a different form of writing, not a weaker one.
Study type	Narrative Review
Model system	Review (yeast to humans)
Journal	Science
Year	2010
Peer reviewed	Yes
Record last updated	2026-10-01
Source	DOI 10.1126/science.1172539 · PMID 20395504 · Free full text (PMC3607354)

Extracted findings

These fields were extracted from the paper with AI assistance and have not been checked against the source. Read them as a pointer into the paper, not as curated claims; where they disagree with the curated summary above, the curated summary stands.

Intervention	Not applicable (review – dietary restriction / nutrient-sensing inhibition)
Target	Nutrient-sensing pathways (incl. TOR, insulin/IGF)
Model	Review (yeast to humans)
Effect	Dietary restriction and reduced nutrient-sensing activity extend lifespan and reduce age-related disease

In the Atlas

Cite this paper

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Fontana, L., Partridge, L., & Longo, V. D. (2010). Extending healthy life span--from yeast to humans. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1172539

@article{FON2010,
  author       = {Fontana, L. and Partridge, L. and Longo, V. D.},
  title        = {{Extending healthy life span--from yeast to humans}},
  journal      = {Science},
  year         = {2010},
  doi          = {10.1126/science.1172539},
  note         = {PMID: 20395504},
}

Cite this Atlas record

The record is the Atlas's own work — the evidence label, the extracted findings and the links. It is cited as part of the dataset, not as the paper.

Barton, O. (2026). Oliver's mTOR Atlas (record FON2010) [Data set]. https://mtor-atlas.org/study/FON2010/ · Dataset DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22059963

@misc{atlas_FON2010,
  author       = {Barton, Oliver},
  title        = {{Oliver's mTOR Atlas}, record FON2010},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://mtor-atlas.org/study/FON2010/},
  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.22059963}
}

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