Human lifespan is increasing by approx three years in every 25-year period. People are expected to live about six years longer than their grandparents, on an average.
Advancement in medical science in treating diseases like cancer, vaccination, better nutrition has led to increase in lifespan. Global average life expectancy increased by 5.5 years between 2000 and 2016, the fastest increase since the 1960s.
Perfectly functioning bodies but with poorly functioning brains
But the scientists have warned that the increase in human lifespan may turn a huge number of people into walking zombies without a cure for dementia and brain cell loss.
Mauro Giacca, Professor in Cardiovascular Sciences at King’s College London said a human body is not capable of living much longer than 120 years. He thinks that a 100-year life norm could be damaging if medical science could not stop brain degeneration.
Professor Giacca said, “A person who reaches 80 or 90 has already lost about 10 to 15 per cent of their brain, which is why they think and move more slowly. ” And that’s before diseases like Alzheimer’s where you have accelerated neuron loss.
“So if you don’t deal with those problems you could end up with a healthy heart but a head that is stupid.”
._(6082159882).jpg){kind=link}