Longevity & AgingCommon Antidepressant Extends Mouse Lifespan 30% by Fixing Calcium Leaks
Researchers discovered that aging cells — both in a rare accelerated-aging disease and in naturally aging mice — suffer from a calcium ion leak out of the endoplasmic reticulum. This leak triggers a cascade: a protein called S100A6 rises, suppressing the DNA-repair enzyme PARP1, which leads to DNA damage, cellular senescence, and inflammation. When scientists treated progeroid mice with mianserin, an existing antidepressant that blocks the leak channel indirectly, median lifespan extended by roughly 30% and heart, lung, and muscle function all improved. The same calcium disruption was confirmed in naturally aging mice, suggesting this pathway is broadly relevant to aging — not just rare genetic disease.
