Experimental evolution explores aging traits in mosquitoes under parasite exposure, suggesting oxidative stress influences but does not determine aging.
The redox theory of aging proposes that an oxidative imbalance, possibly amplified by infection, drives senescence. We experimentally evolved mosquitoes under early or late reproduction with or without parasite exposure, and quantified longevity, fecundity, and redox markers. Although selection generated the expected life-history divergence, there was only a poor, non-linear association between a redox gradient and longevity. Thus, oxidative stress contributed to, but did not determine, the evolution of aging.
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Silva et al. (2026) studied this question.
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