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Cited by 56Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsInsurance, Mortality, Demography, Risk ManagementAging, Health, and Disability

First autopsy study of an Okinawan centenarian: Absence of many age-related diseases

Bernstein, A. M., Willcox, B. J., Tamaki, H., Kunishima, N., Suzuki, M., Craig Willcox, D., Kristen Yoo, J.-S., Perls, T. T.·2004·The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
DOI 10.1093/gerona/59.11.1195
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Abstract

Consistent with the compression-of-morbidity hypothesis, several studies have reported that a significant proportion of centenarians delay or escape age-related diseases. Of those who live with such diseases for a long time, many appear to do so with better functional status than do younger persons who do not achieve extreme old age. The authors describe the first autopsy in an Okinawan-Japanese centenarian who escaped many age-related illnesses and delayed frailty toward the end of her very long life. Her late-life morbidity pattern is contrasted with that of white centenarians.

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Crossref · 10.1093/gerona/59.11.1195

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  • Forests, parks, coastal areas, and mountainous regions are consistently associated with lower stress levels, improved cardiovascular function, and enhanced immune responses.

    “Forests, parks, coastal areas, and mountainous regions, have been consistently associated with lower stress levels, improved cardiovascular function, and enhanced immune responses.”

    From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [24]

    The Discussion describes cardiovascular findings in an Okinawan centenarian, while the Conclusions discuss her delayed age-related disease; neither links health outcomes to forests, parks, coasts, or mountains. Searches for natural environments, stress reduction, and immune responses found no passage addressing the claimed associations. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.77)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Mucchiano G, Haggqvist B, Sletten K, Westermark P. Apolipoprotein A-1 derived amyloid in atherosclerotic plaques of the human aorta. J Pathol. 2001;193:270-275.

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Authors
Bernstein, A. M., Willcox, B. J., Tamaki, H., Kunishima, N., Suzuki, M., Craig Willcox, D., Kristen Yoo, J.-S., & Perls, T. T.
Affiliations
  • Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center (US)
  • University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
  • Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital (JP)
  • Okinawa International University (JP)
  • Boston University (US)
Corresponding author
Bernstein, A. M.
ORCID
Venue
The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2004-11-01
Volume
59
Issue
11
Pages
1195-1199
ISSN
  • 1079-5006 (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-535X
DOI
10.1093/gerona/59.11.1195
OpenAlex
W2159436459
Cited by
56
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
FWCI
0.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journals of Gerontology Series A (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Ellison Medical Foundation
  • School of Medicine, Boston University
  • National Institutes of Health (7r01ag018721-03, 1r03ag021293-01)
  • National Institute on Aging (R01 AG 18721, R03AG021293-01)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Insurance, Mortality, Demography, Risk Management
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
Keywords
centenarians, compression of morbidity, age-related diseases, autopsy findings, frailty, functional status
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Autopsy, Bronchopneumonia, Female, Humans, Japan, Longevity

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