Brazil has a relatively large number of people well over a hundred: supercentenarians.
Why is this and how can scientists learn from them lifespan extension?
Scientists want to know why do a tiny number of people live past 110 while most never reach 100?
The answer has been pursued for decades, especially since the average life expectancy in most developed countries is in the 70s.
A Viewpoint published in Genomic Psychiatry (2025) by Dr. Mayana Zatz et al at the University of São Paulo explains why Brazil may be one of the most important yet overlooked countries for studying extreme human longevity.
According to Dr. Zatz and her co-authors, part of the problem is that many large genomic databases rely on genetically similar populations, leaving gaps when it comes to highly admixed groups.
Mateus Vidigal de Castro, first author of the Viewpoint, notes that this is especially limiting in longevity research.
Admixed supercentenarians may carry variants protective against disease that are invisible in more homogeneous populations, making Brazil a particularly valuable place to study resilience.
Brazil’s Unmatched Genetic Diversity
Brazil’s population history sets it apart. Portuguese colonization, the forced migration of roughly four million enslaved Africans, and later waves of European and Japanese immigration created one of the richest sources of genetic diversity in the world.
Early studies of more than 1,000 Brazilians over 60 uncovered roughly two million previously unknown genetic variants.
Researchers also found over 2,000 mobile element insertions and more than 140 HLA alleles missing from global databases.
What is an allele? Pronounced “uh-leal,” it’s one of two or more variable forms of a gene that comes from a mutation.
An allele determines traits such as hair texture and blood type.
Later research identified over eight million previously undescribed variants across the Brazilian population, including more than 36,000 thought to be potentially harmful.
A Unique Cohort of the World’s Oldest People
The research team has built a rare and valuable cohort.
Their longitudinal study includes over 160 centenarians, including 20 validated supercentenarians from across Brazil.
Participants come from a variety of social, cultural and environmental backgrounds.
Among them was Sister Inah, who held the record as the world’s oldest living person until her death at age 116 in April 2025.
The cohort also includes the two oldest men in the world, one who passed away at 112 in November 2025, and the other who is 113 as of January 2026.
What makes this group especially valuable is not just their age, but their resilience.
Many lived most of their lives in underserved areas with little access to modern healthcare, yet were mentally sharp and able to manage daily tasks.
Longevity Runs in Families
Some families show remarkable inherited longevity.
One 110-year-old woman has nieces age 100, 104 and 106, making her family one of the longest-lived ever documented in Brazil.
The oldest niece was still competing as a swimming champion at 100.
Siblings of centenarians are five to 17 times more likely to reach extreme old age.
Studying these rare familial clusters helps researchers separate genetic influences from environmental and epigenetic ones.
What Makes Supercentenarians Biologically Different
Supercentenarians show unusual biological traits.
Their immune cells maintain protein recycling systems at levels similar to much younger people.
This prevents the buildup of damaged proteins.
COVID-19 Survival at Extreme Age
Three Brazilian supercentenarians survived COVID-19 in 2020 before vaccines were available.
Laboratory analyses showed neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the name of the COVID-19 virus.
They also had immune proteins and metabolites associated with early host defense.
Understanding how people over 110 mounted effective immune responses to a deadly virus remains a major question.
Preserved immune function, intact protein maintenance and physiological stability make supercentenarians ideal models for studying resilience.
Brazil’s Global Role in Longevity
Three of the 10 longest-lived validated male supercentenarians are Brazilian, including the oldest living man as of January 2025, born in 1912.
This is significant because extreme longevity is far rarer in men.
Among women, Brazilian supercentenarians also rank prominently, surpassing more populous and wealthier countries like the U.S.
Having access to both male and female supercentenarians who lived much of their lives without modern medicine allows researchers to study resilience in underrepresented populations.
Next Steps in Research
The team is going beyond DNA sequencing by developing cellular models and conducting multi-omics analyses.
The goal is to identify protective variants and biological mechanisms specific to Brazil’s population.
The authors urge international genomics groups to include diverse populations like Brazil’s in future research or provide funding for genomic, immunological and long-term studies.
