DNA test could predict who will live 100 years

Scientists have identified a set of genetic fingerprints that predict extreme long life.

The discovery opens the way for tests for longevity but it has also raised concerns about potential social implications.

The 150 genetic variants are found in people who survive to their late 90s or beyond with remarkably little disability.

They appear to counteract genes linked to age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's and heart disease that shorten life.

The biological pathways involved are complex and still not understood, making the prospect of an "elixir of life" drug cocktail unlikely. But it does raise the prospect of a "DNA chip" test to predict long life.

Tom Perls, of the team from Boston University School of Medicine in the United States, which led the research, said: "You could conceivably produce a chip that would help predict people's genetic predisposition for exceptional longevity.

"But I, and all the authors of this paper, want to instil a great deal of caution in thinking about what people might actually do with that information... what people do in terms of social entitlements and things like that. So we think that merits a lot more discussion.

"Will that stop companies from going ahead and doing this? Probably not."

Using the 150 variants, scientists were able to predict "exceptional longevity" with 77 per cent accuracy.