A new study suggests that the MC1R gene - known for influencing skin and hair color and being more common in those with red hair, pale skin and freckles - could be connected to how old people look.
The team of researchers discovered that older adults with the particular variants of the MC1R gene, called the "risk" variants, appeared to be two years older than peers who did not possess these variants. Furthermore, this connection was independent of their skin tone or any visible sun damage such as dark spots or wrinkles.
Although some believe that this research takes us one step closer to the biological "fountain of youth," the findings suggest that there are many factors that affect how the human face looks with age, such as genes and lifestyle.
"This one gene variant only has a small effect on facial aging overall," said David Gunn, a senior scientist at the company Unilever and co-author of the study. "I would encourage people to focus on their lifestyle rather than worrying about their genes."
Gunn claims that lifestyle measures - such as not smoking, avoiding too much sun exposure and a healthy diet - can have a positive effect on aging.
The team examined the genomes of almost 2,700 older Dutch adults in search of genetic variants linked to people's perceived age. This age was determined by a group of "assessors" that used digital facial images for the process.
The data reveals that participants with two copies of a "risk" variant of MC1R looked an average of two years older than people of the same age without these variants.
Although the increased prevalence of these variants among those with fair skin might point to pale skin being more prone to sun damage and thus aging, the team found that MC1R variants are connected to increased aging regardless of skin tone or sun damage.
"This suggests the gene is affecting facial aging through some unknown route," Gunn said.
The MC1R gene is connected to numerous biological processes, including the repair of DNA damage, and further studies will need to be conducted to determine the mechanism that links it to increased perceived age.
The findings were published in the April 28 issue of the journal Current Biology.
