Genes determine person's lifespan : research

London, Dec 14 (UNI) Fortune tellers say it's all about stars and planets but if modern science is to be believed, then a person's lifespan is hidden in the genes.

A British research now reveals that some people are destined to die relatively young while others may live long irrespective of their diet and lifestyle, and all this depends on genetic differences, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The research has provided hard evidence on how genetic differences influence ageing.

''We've found that individuals differ in their rates of ageing, or senescence, and that these differences are (at least in part) caused by genetic effects so they will be inherited,'' said Dr Alastair Wilson, one of the study authors from Cambridge University.

''While the genetic effects we found are completely consistent with existing theory, scientists hadn't previously managed to test this theory properly except in controlled laboratory experiments, '' Dr Wilson added.

The researchers examined wild Soay sheep and red deer living on two Scottish islands. Individually marked animals were followed throughout their lives from birth until death, providing a wealth of data for such research.

In both the red deer and sheep, they found evidence for age-specific genetic effects on ''fitness'' - a measure combining the animals' probability of survival and reproduction.

This new study, said Dr Wilson, provides the first evidence for how genetic variations add up to influence the rate of ageing in a wild population.

UNI