Review of Biological Research in Ageing

A review of the debate concerning the evolution and genetics of ageing, providing a historical perspective as well as discussion of recent research and experimentation on the evolution of senescence. The text also includes two proposed population genetic mechanisms for the evolution of senescence.

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Aging concepts in evolutionary biology are far more developed today than was the case even in the late 1970s. However, active debate remains between those who feel that the case for the evolutionary theory of aging is well established and those who feel it is not. The review reflects this ongoing ferment, providing a historical perspective as well as discussion of recent research and experimentation on the evolution of senescence, through late 1988. In addition to the general evolutionary theory, two proposed population genetic mechanisms for the evolution of senescence are presented: mutation accumulation and antagonistic pleiotropy.