Scientists studying the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans found that the anticonvulsant drug ethosuximide delays age-related changes and extends the animal's lifespan by inhibiting certain chemosensory neurons (Collins JJ et al. PLoS Genet. 2008;4[10]:e1000230).
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Mo, identified genes that mediated the activity of ethosuximide. They found mutations in 2 of the genes, che-3 and osm-3; these mutations cause defects in chemosensory neurons, which in turn result in an extended lifespan. This suggests that ethosuximide extends lifespan by inhibiting the function of specific chemosensory neurons.
Ethosuximide-treated worms shared many of the attributes of those with the mutant genes and the chemosensory defects, which further suggests that sensory perception has a critical role in controlling lifespan. These studies highlight the potential of ethosuximide and related drugs that modulate sensory perception.
