AUTHOR=Adelöf Julia , Ross Jaime M. , Zetterberg Madeleine , Hernebring Malin 

TITLE=Survival-Span Method: How to Qualitatively Estimate Lifespan to Improve the Study of Aging, and not Disease, in Aging Studies

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging/articles/10.3389/fragi.2021.724794

DOI=10.3389/fragi.2021.724794

ISSN=2673-6217

ABSTRACT=<p>Lifespan analyses are important for advancing our understanding of the aging process. There are two major issues in performing lifespan studies: 1) late-stage animal lifespan analysis may include animals with non-terminal, yet advanced illnesses, which can pronounce indirect processes of aging rather than the aging process <italic>per se</italic> and 2) they often involves challenging welfare considerations. Herein, we present an option to the traditional way of performing lifespan studies by using a novel method that generates high-quality data and allows for the inclusion of excluded animals, even animals removed at early signs of disease. This Survival-span method is designed to be feasibly done with simple means by any researcher and strives to improve the quality of aging studies and increase animal welfare.</p>