Could ‘Zombie Cells’ in the Skin Be Aging Your Brain Too?

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that senescent cells — non-dividing "zombie" cells — accumulate in the skin as people age and may influence aging in other parts of the body. Their recent study revealed that transplanting senescent skin cells into a preclinical model revealed that they not only caused that senescence to spread to other tissues but also accelerated physical decline, impaired muscle function, and adversely affected brain health. This discovery indicates that senescent cells in the skin could drive broader, systemic aging.