Reliability theory of aging and longevity: Difference between revisions

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The '''reliability theory of aging''' is an attempt to apply the principles of [[reliability theory]] to create a [[mathematical model]] of [[senescence]]. The theory was published in Russian by Leonid A. Gavrilov and Natalia S. Gavrilova as ''Biologiia prodolzhitelʹnosti zhizni'' in 1986, and in English translation as ''The Biology of Life Span: A Quantitative Approach'' in 1991.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Gavrilov |first1=Leonid A. |last2=Gavrilova |first2= Natalia S. |editor1-last=Skulachev |editor1-first=V.P. |editor1-link=Vladimir P. Skulachev |title=Биология продолжительности жизни: Количественные аспекты |year=1986 |trans-title=Biology of Life Span: A Quantitative Approach |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zMY5AAAAIAAJ |language=ru |edition=1st |___location=Moscow |publisher=[[Nauka (publisher)|Nauka]] |publication-date=1986 |pages=167}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Gavrilov |first1=Leonid A. |last2=Gavrilova |first2= Natalia S. |editor1-last=Skulachev |editor1-first=V.P. |editor1-link=Vladimir P. Skulachev |title=Биология продолжительности жизни: Количественные аспекты |year=1991 |trans-title=Biology of Life Span: A Quantitative Approach |url=https://textarchive.ru/c-1387064-pall.html |language=ru |edition=2nd |___location=Moscow |publisher=[[Nauka (publisher)|Nauka]] |publication-date=1991 |pages=280 |isbn=5-02-013445-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Gavrilov |first1=Leonid A. |last2=Gavrilova |first2= Natalia S. |editor1-last=Skulachev |editor1-first=V.P. |editor1-link=Vladimir P. Skulachev |title=Biology of Life Span: A Quantitative Approach |date=7 March 1991 |language=en |edition=1st |___location=New York |publisher=Chur |publication-date=1991 |pages=385 |isbn=978-3718649839}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=A.J.S. Rayl |date=2002-05-13 |title=Aging, in Theory: A Personal Pursuit. Do body system redundancies hold the key? |url=http://longevity-science.org/TheScientist.pdf |journal=[[The Scientist (magazine)|The Scientist]] |volume=16 |issue=10 |pages=20 |doi= |pmc= |pmid=}}</ref>

One of the models suggested in the book is based on an analogy with the reliability theory. The underlying [[hypothesis]] is based on the (previously suggested) premise that humans are born in a highly defective state. This is then made worse by environmental and mutational damage; exceptionally high [[Redundancy (engineering)|redundancy]] due to the extremely high number of low-reliable components (e.g.., [[cell (biology)|cell]]s) allows the organism to survive for a while.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/devices/engineering-and-aging-the-best-is-yet-to-be |title=Engineering and Aging: The Best Is Yet to Be |work=[[IEEE Spectrum]] |date=2004-09-01}}</ref><ref name=gg2001/>

The theory suggests an explanation of two aging phenomena for higher organisms: the [[Gompertz law]] of exponential increase in mortality rates with age and the "late-life mortality plateau" (mortality deceleration compared to the Gompertz law at higher ages).<ref name=gg2001>Gavrilov, Gavrilova (2001).</ref>