This overlooked organ may be more vital for longevity than scientists realized

"The AI analysis found enormous variation in the health of the thymus between individual people. In some people, it stayed very active until a very old age. And other people, it actually declined very rapidly at a younger age. Importantly, thymus health correlated with a person's overall health. People who had a healthy thymus tended to live longer, have less cancer, and less cardiovascular disease."

"A pair of new studies suggests the organ may be far more important for our long-term well-being than we thought. The findings jibe with an emerging consensus that the immune system plays a major role in how well we age. In one study published in the journal Nature, researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze 27,000 patient CT scans and medical records to reveal that the health of the thymus may be linked to whether an individual develops cardiovascular disease, cancer and death from all causes."

The thymus is a chest gland responsible for developing T cells, critical white blood cells that fight infections. While it shrinks with age and was long considered irrelevant in adults, recent research reveals its continued importance. A major study analyzing 27,000 patient CT scans and medical records using artificial intelligence found that thymus health correlates strongly with long-term well-being. The research discovered enormous variation in thymus health between individuals—some maintaining activity into old age while others decline rapidly at younger ages. People with healthier thymus glands tend to live longer, develop less cancer, and experience fewer cardiovascular problems, supporting the emerging understanding that immune system health plays a major role in aging.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com