AgingJul 27, 2026

A short overview of the theory that overactive processes cause aging and ideas for future research

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Jul 28, 2026

Abstract

Aging may be primarily a programmatic process influenced by ongoing developmental programs.

Theories of aging often focus on the accumulation of molecular damage.
Programmatic theories suggest that aging results from developmental processes becoming harmful over time.
Single-gene manipulations have been shown to affect aging in animal models.
Evidence indicates that rapamycin can extend lifespan, supporting the hyperfunction theory of aging.
The hyperfunction theory offers a new framework for understanding the biological mechanisms of aging.

Simplified

Aging remains a mystery of biology, and debate regarding why we age has been ongoing for centuries. Many theories of aging have been proposed, most of which focus on errors and the gradual accumulation of molecular damage. By contrast, aging may be primarily a programmatic process, arising from developmental programs that continue to run later in life and, as a form of antagonistic pleiotropy, become detrimental. Here, I review the history of programmatic theories of aging, from early caloric restriction experiments to more recent conceptual frameworks to which Mikhail Blagosklonny made key contributions, particularly the hyperfunction theory. The discovery that single-gene manipulations can modulate aging in animal models, together with evidence that rapamycin extends lifespan, provides empirical support for the hyperfunction theory. Finally, I discuss the prospects of the hyperfunction theory and its implications for the future of aging biology.

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A short overview of the theory that overactive processes cause aging and ideas for future research

Abstract

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