Progeria syndromes and ageing: what is the connection?

Researchers described children with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a very rare inherited condition that causes signs of aging during childhood. They examined the children’s symptoms and used genetic testing, which looks for changes in DNA, to identify the cause. The condition is usually linked to a change in the LMNA gene, which helps support the structure of cells. The report was based on a small number of patients, so it cannot show how common the condition is or prove that a treatment works.

What this means for you: This research helps doctors recognize and diagnose a rare disease. It does not support buying an anti-aging product or taking a supplement, and it does not show a way to slow normal aging.