It turns out that behaviour can predict life expectancy
Scientists have found that behavioural traits can indicate future longevity. By observing animals throughout their lives, the researchers found that differences in activity and sleep appear long before old age.
The results of the study were published in the journal Science.
The study was conducted by scientists from Stanford University. They observed the life of African killifish - small fish that live only four to eight months and are often used to study the aging process.
To see how aging progresses, the researchers set up a continuous observation system. The fish lived in separate tanks under cameras that recorded their every movement.
Details
In total, the scientists observed 81 fish and collected billions of frames of video. From this data, the researchers identified about 100 types of behaviour, including movements, resting and swimming speed.
The analysis showed that already in the middle of life, the behaviour of animals begins to differ markedly.
Benefits
Some behaviours were found to be linked to future longevity.
For example, fish that subsequently lived longer:
- were more active
- swim faster
- were more active during the day.
At the same time, fish that lived less often slept more often not only at night but also during the day.
Using machine learning models, the scientists were able to predict longevity based on a few days of observed behaviour.
The researchers believe that in the future, a similar approach could help study ageing in humans, especially using data from fitness trackers and other wearable devices.
Background
The study also showed that aging does not happen gradually, but goes through several abrupt transitions between different stages.
Source
Claire N. Bedbrook et al, Lifelong behavioural screen reveals an architecture of vertebrate aging, Science (2026), DOI: 10.1126/science.aea9795