What is it about?
Sensory perception affects many aspects of behavior and physiology. This paper examines how the sense of touch interacts with nutritional state to modulate lifespan. We find that in the nematode C. elegans, mechanical touch stimulation signals from mechanoreceptors to peripheral tissues through a pathway led by dopamine and tyramine/adrenaline.
Featured Image
Photo by Zoritsa Valova on Unsplash
Why is it important?
These results establish a physiological touch circuit and connect neural reward pathways to the growth and reproductive axes. Finding that gentle touch can modulate longevity suggests a role for physical comfort in healthspan and lifespan.
Perspectives
This article focuses on the pathway that limits lifespan during food restriction, but also suggests potential approaches for using this pathway to extend lifespan in fed conditions. We hope that future studies will work through the signaling pathway to decipher how to use it to benefit healthy aging.
Scott Leiser
University of Michigan
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Rewarding touch limits lifespan through neural to intestinal signaling, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, October 2025, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2423780122.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
