Introduction to Senotherapies

Traditionally, biological ageing was regarded as a process that could not be altered and prevented. However, with a greater proportion of the human population becoming elderly, ageing itself is starting to be considered worthy of being slowed or possibly halted. Along with lifestyle changes and other medical interventions, senotherapeutics have the potential to increase human lifespan and healthspan by reducing the accumulation of senescent cells, which can slow the ageing process. To understand their potential, this chapter begins by furnishing the reader with an overview of our current understanding of the mechanisms and hallmarks of ageing. It then explains the benefits that optimal levels of senescent cells provide, including wound healing and tumor suppression, and the detrimental impacts of senescent cell accumulation beyond an optimal level. This chapter then presents an overview of senotherapy, followed by an explanation for why this book fits the SpringerBrief series about disability, the intended audience for this book, this book’s pedagogical features, and a description of the upcoming chapters.