Scientists studying Brazil's unusually high number of supercentenarians – people who live far beyond the age of 100 – have made a remarkable discovery about how their supercharged immune systems help keep them healthy into extreme old age. Brazil is home to a disproportionate number of people who live past 110, making it a uniquely valuable setting for longevity research. On closer analysis, researchers found their immune systems – the body's first line of defence against infection – behaved very differently from those of the general population. The team also discovered that CD4+ 'helper' T cells, which normally coordinate immune responses, behaved more like CD8+ killer cells – immune cells that directly attack infected or abnormal cells. During the Covid pandemic, the researchers found these immune systems adapted rapidly, producing neutralising antibodies and boosting immune-related proteins involved in early viral defence.

Source: Daily Mail January 11, 2026 13:57 UTC