Sot Sti & Med Vol 16, pp 149 Io 153. 1982 0277-9536 82 020149-05503 (~t ~1 Printed in Great Brtlain All nghl, reserxed Cop)right ~; 1982 Pergamon Press Lid POPULATION GENETIC MODELS IN THE STUDY OF AGING AND LONGEVITY IN A MENNONITE COMMUNITY M. H. CRAWFORDand L. ROGERS Laboratory of Biological Anthropology. University of Kansas, Lawrence, U.S.A, Abstract--This is a preliminary report on a 3-year multidisciplinary study of aging among historically and genetically related Mennonite congregations in Kansas and Nebraska. Three aspects of longevity and aging are examined: (l) the relationship of heterozygosity to survivorship using 8 genetic blood group loci, (2) changes in taste sensitivity with age using 14 dilutions of PTC: and (31 life span corre- lations among parents and offspring during a 100 year period. Heterozygosity was found to be indepen- dent of survivorship. No diminution in taste sensitivity to PTC was found with increasing age although a significant difference in PTC taste thresholds was found between males and females. No relationship was found between nontasters and individuals with a history of thyroid disease. Mother's life span was found to correlate more closely with daughter than any other familial correlation. INTRODUCTION Three enclaves of probable longevity in the world have been championed by various researchers. These enclaves, where exceptional longevity has been pro- posed, include Vilacabamba in the highlands of Ecua- dor, villages of Abkhasia in Soviet Georgia, and Hunza in Pakistan. One by one these centers of lon- gevity have been discredited, shown to be based more on wishful thinking and misrepresentation than upon fact. Evidence to support the claims of the Hunza has always been lacking and their status as centenarians has seldom met serious consideration. The work of Mazess and Foreman in Vilacabamba indicted that age exaggeration, together with differen- tial emigration of the young resulted in a greater pro- portion of older persons--but with no exceptional longevity. Preliminary analysis of one Abkhasian vil- lage by a Soviet research team in 1979 revealed simi- lar patterns with an average age exaggeration in excess of 20 years. In Abkhasia the long living (dolgozhitili) are highly esteemed, often heads of patriarchal households, therefore the achievement of centenarian status is highly desirable. However, this exaggeration should not preclude the possible value of comparative studies focusing on populations with different genetic make-up and culturally diverse treat- ment of the aged population. Since the apparent Ponce de Leon's fountain of youth is empty and because there appears to be no exotic and hidden valleys where the inhabitants possess secrets of long life, we have chosen to study the genetic mechanism involved in differential survivorship and aging at our own doorstep. • This is a preliminary report of a 3-year multidisci- plinary study of aging and longevity among off-shoot Mennonite congregations living in Kansas and Nebraska. The research "umbrella" encompasing all facets of this program covers the interaction of both the genetic and environmental factors which influence the aging process and differential survivorship. We hope to illustrate the core of our research program by providing three examples from the investigations presently in progress. The primary objectives of the genetic portion of the study are: (1) to partition the variance for the geno- type (h21 and common family environment (c) which contribute to differential survivorship and aging: (2) to determine if older individuals exhibit the greatest amount of heterozygosity or genetic variability: and (3) to explore changes in the patterns of longevity and life expectancy in Mennonite families from the 17th century to the present, located in three different envir- onments-Prussia, Russia, and the plains of Kansas and Nebraska. POPULATION This study focuses upon the historically and geneti- cally related Mennonite congregations now living in Kansas and Nebraska. The history of these congrega- tions began in 16th century Europe. The diverse groups making up the Anabaptist, or left wing of the Protestant Reformation, held in common belief in the separation of Church and State and in adult baptism. Different Anabaptist denominations came to be ident- ified by their prominent local leaders. For example. the followers of Jakob Hutter are known as the Hut- terites, the followers of Jakob Amann, the Amish. and the followers of Menno Simons are known as the Mennonites. Persecution of the Anabaptists in Western Europe, , particularly in Austria and the Netherlands forced refugees to settle in the underdeveloped agricultural areas of Eastern Europe. Fifteen refugee couples settled on the swampy lowlands south of Danzig in West Prussia. These Mennonites founded the Prze- chowka Church in 1669. The congregation grew over the years and kept meticulous records on their mem- bership. Historical accounts state that all but seven families in the congregation immigrated to Russia in 1821 and settled in the Ukraine near the Molotschna River. The congregation adopted the name "'Alexan- derwohl'" in honor of the Czar. Figure 1 summarizes the origin and fission of the Alexanderwohl com- munity in Prussia. Russia and the United States. 149