How young can you die from old age?
鈥� Cellular ageing appears to occur at different rates in different tissues in any one individual, probably due to complex metabolic and genetic effects. It is uncertain whether 鈥渙ld age鈥� alone can cause death, as opposed to the degenerative diseases that come with it.
No condition has yet been found to cause a true acceleration in the rate of ageing in all tissues, but there are more than 100 inherited conditions that shorten life expectancy and are associated with the appearance of premature ageing. Many of them cause progressive skin changes such as wrinkling, mottled pigmentation and loss of cutaneous fat as well as greying or loss of hair. Some also cause systemic features that are associated with ageing, such as menopause, deposits in the arteries, cataracts, joint stiffness, leg ulcers, osteoporosis and malignancy.
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鈥淪igns of premature ageing are usually seen in the teens and death can occur by the fourth decade鈥�
Pangeria (or ) is the disorder that seems to resemble the normal ageing process most closely. It causes the appearance of premature ageing in the teens and death usually occurs in the fourth to sixth decades, often due to heart attack or malignancy. The disease is caused by an autosomal recessive gene 鈥� meaning both parents must pass on a copy of the mutated gene for a child to be at risk of developing the condition. In this case, it is a gene associated with altered connective tissue and defects in the immune and endocrine systems.
Progeria (or ) is a more severe form of premature ageing, caused by an autosomal dominant gene, which means a child is at risk even if they inherit the faulty gene from only one parent. Progeria often begins in the second year of life and causes death in the second decade.
Fibroblast cells from human skin have a limited lifespan when grown in the lab, inversely proportional to the age of the donor. Premature ageing syndromes greatly reduce fibroblast growth potential in the lab.
John Burton, Retired professor of dermatology, North Perrott, Somerset, UK
鈥� Current guidance to states that 鈥渙ld age鈥� should not be given as the sole cause of death if the deceased is younger than 80. If it is, then the Coroner鈥檚 Office will require further information.
Even if someone is over 80, medical referees are advised to exercise caution. Such a certification can be challenged by the coroner or by next of kin.
Pam Lunn Kenilworth, Warwickshire, UK
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